On October 7, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will celebrate his 59th birthday. Putin, whose political career was launched over 20 years ago, has a packed schedule but still manages to find time for activities that have no relation to state administration.
On October 7, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will celebrate his 59th birthday. Putin, whose political career was launched over 20 years ago, has a packed schedule but still manages to find time for activities that have no relation to state administration. On December 10, 2010, he performed the early rock ‘n’ roll standard “Blueberry Hill” with jazz musician Maceo Parker's band at a charity concert.
Vladimir Putin also learned to play “From Where the Motherland Begins” on a grand-piano for a charity concert in St. Petersburg.
On April 15, 2011, the prime minister skated at a training session for young hockey players prior to the Zolotaya Shaiba (Golden Puck) tournament finals. Putin said it took him two months to learn to skate.
On January 17, 2011, the prime minister learned curling in Khimki outside Moscow.
The prime minister regularly takes part in judo bouts.
Everybody knows Vladimir Putin as an avid alpine skier.
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© RIA Novosti . Alexey Druszinin
In November 2010, the prime minister test-drove a Formula-1 car for several hours on a racetrack where he reached speeds of up to 240 kph.
Vladimir Putin learned to drive a three-wheeled motorcycle fairly recently. He rides his Harley-Davidson trike with members of the Night Wolves biker club.
The Russian prime minister is fond of animals.
Vladimir Putin’s colleagues know he likes animals and often present him with one. For instance, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov gave Putin a Karakachan puppy, a very popular breed in Bulgaria.
In 2008, Vladimir Putin received a little Siberian/Amur tiger for his 56th birthday and said it was the most unusual birthday gift ever.
Vladimir Putin fitting a polar bear with a satellite-tracking collar in Zemlya Aleksandry (Alexandra Land) Island, part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago.
And, finally, Vladimir Putin likes fishing, just like most Russian men do.
