Russia's ruling tandem of President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have put on a new show of unity ahead of elections by going fishing and taking a joint dive in the river.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankRussia's ruling tandem of President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have put on a new show of unity ahead of elections by going fishing and taking a joint dive in the river.
Russia's ruling tandem of President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have put on a new show of unity ahead of elections by going fishing and taking a joint dive in the river.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankRussia's two top leaders, believed to be close to a decision on which of them will run for president, spent Tuesday fishing and boating on the Volga river in a rare, day-long private meeting, the Kremlin said. In the photo: Medvedev holding a half-meter long pike fish.
Russia's two top leaders, believed to be close to a decision on which of them will run for president, spent Tuesday fishing and boating on the Volga river in a rare, day-long private meeting, the Kremlin said. In the photo: Medvedev holding a half-meter long pike fish.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankA Kremlin statement said Putin and Medvedev "got to know the habitat of the river and took a few photographs using special photo equipment" during Tuesday's outing. In the photo: Medvedev posing in a wetsuit with an underwater camera.
A Kremlin statement said Putin and Medvedev "got to know the habitat of the river and took a few photographs using special photo equipment" during Tuesday's outing. In the photo: Medvedev posing in a wetsuit with an underwater camera.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankPutin, a keen fisherman who himself donned a wetsuit last week to dive in the Black Sea, was captured struggling to take a much smaller fish off the hook.
Putin, a keen fisherman who himself donned a wetsuit last week to dive in the Black Sea, was captured struggling to take a much smaller fish off the hook.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankThe meeting on the Volga was not announced beforehand. Putin arrived from Moscow, where he was meeting his Belarusian counterpart on Monday, while Medvedev flew in from the Black Sea resort of Sochi where he is spending his summer holiday.
The meeting on the Volga was not announced beforehand. Putin arrived from Moscow, where he was meeting his Belarusian counterpart on Monday, while Medvedev flew in from the Black Sea resort of Sochi where he is spending his summer holiday.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankMedvedev was shown steering a small river boat on his own.
Medvedev was shown steering a small river boat on his own.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankPutin ruled as president from 2000 to 2008 before handing over to Medvedev to comply with a constitutional ban on a third consecutive term. He will be free to run in the March vote.
Putin ruled as president from 2000 to 2008 before handing over to Medvedev to comply with a constitutional ban on a third consecutive term. He will be free to run in the March vote.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Klementiev / Go to the mediabankBoth Medvedev and Putin have said that one of them, but not both, will run in the March 2012 presidential election and are expected to make a decision soon.
Both Medvedev and Putin have said that one of them, but not both, will run in the March 2012 presidential election and are expected to make a decision soon.