Russian President Vladimir Putin took time off from fielding questions about hacking the American election to vacation in southern Siberia. On his first R&R visit to the region, Putin enjoyed swimming, fishing, sunbathing, and quadricycle mountain rides.
“He chased a pike for two hours before eventually hitting it,” presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agency TASS Saturday, referencing an underwater dive. “It was a very brief, but very eventful trip.”
To maintain his brand, Putin had a photographer follow him while spearfishing in a diving suit and snorkeling mask. There’s also video footage shot with a GroPro and drones, which the Kremlin will release on Monday through its website and state-sponsored television networks.
In the meantime, Twitter is having a field-day captaining the photos with snarky headlines that add to the ruler’s rugged mythology.
Predictable reaction from MSM on latest President #Putin's photos – Vladimir Putin triggering entire Western media with several photos pic.twitter.com/wbTGs1QNUw
— Russia in RSA (@EmbassyofRussia) August 5, 2017
The recent Putin photo shoot is great example of memetic warfare. Few understand this. pic.twitter.com/WiJ0BSShut
— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 5, 2017