MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has briefed the media on how Vladimir Putin spent his short vacation in southern Siberia earlier this week. According to the Kremlin official, the Russian head of state hiked in a dense Siberian forest, went fishing on a cascade of mountain lakes and spent two hours in a diving suit underwater chasing an evasive pike.
"On August 1-3, on his way to Blagoveshchensk, Putin made a near two-day stop in Tyva, in southern Siberia, to camp in a dense forest, fish on a cascade of mountain lakes, hunt fish underwater, sunbathe, hike, and go quadricycling in the mountains," Peskov said.
On this brief journey he was accompanied by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, head of the Republic of Khakassia Viktor Zimin and head of Tyva Sholban Kara-ool.
Peskov said "this is not the first time Putin has visited this part of the country for rest and recreation, but he always has his eye on new places to visit, just like this time."
"The climate there is harsh, strongly continental," Peskov noted. "In sunny weather, the air warms up quickly and becomes hot enough to take sun baths. Towards the evening it promptly gets cold. Air temperatures may drop to just five degrees above freezing, so warm clothes have to be kept handy." The temperature of water in the lakes seldom goes above 17 degrees Celsius, but "it did not hold back the president from taking a swim."
While on vacation, Peskov said, Putin at a certain point put on a diving suit, took a mask and breathing tube and went spearfishing.
"He had a GoPro camera planted on his mask. He filmed some unique footage while hunting a pike. This video content, alongside other videos and photos, including some wonderful images taken from a quadricopter will soon be made available to all," Peskov said. On Monday, August 7, the content will be released first to TV channels and a little later on the same day published unedited on the Kremlin’s website.
As he narrated the details of Putin’s spearfishing adventure, Peskov said Putin had a great time. "He chased a pike for two hours before he eventually hitting it," Peskov said. "It was very brief, but very eventful trip.".