Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides on a horse while on vacation in Southern Siberia, Kyzyl. Alexey Druzhinin/Getty Images
A Russian official account tweeted an illustration of Putin and a bear.
This picture was tweeted in celebration of Putin's 69th Birthday on Thursday.
Putin is widely thought to be an authoritarian and has worked hard for a macho image.
A Russian official Twitter account celebrated Vladimir Putin's Birthday by tweeting an illustration of Putin walking through a meadow alongside a bear.
"He inspires films, books, poems, news, even myths & legends! The tweet stated that Vladimir #Putin, the President of Russia from 2000 to 2008 and 2012, was one of the most beloved world leaders.
Putin, Russia's leader for over two decades, has turned 69.
Recent reporting has placed a spotlight on Putin and his finances as the Russian government continues its efforts to improve Putin's image. A group of journalists discovered financial records that suggested that a woman believed to be Putin’s mistress had amassed assets in excess of $100 million just days before Putin's birthday celebrations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is widely regarded as an authoritarian and an enemy of democracy. He has worked hard over the years to maintain a macho image.
One example of this is a picture that the Kremlin released once showing a shirtless Putin swimming in a Siberian lake. A famous image of Putin riding on a horse without his shirt has been immortalized in countless memes.
Putin, like many other autocrats in history, including the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, has created a cult personality around himself.
Austrian journalist Armin Wolf asked Putin in 2018 to explain his "half-naked photos". He stated: "There are many photographs of you half-naked. This is quite unusual for a head state. These photos were not taken in public by tourists or paparazzi. These photos were published by Kremlin. These photos are published by the Kremlin.
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Putin replied, "You said half-naked', not 'naked. Thank you, God." Putin replied, "You said 'half-naked' and not 'naked. I don’t see the need to hide behind the bush when I am on vacation. There is nothing wrong with that."
Megyn Kelly asked Putin the same question in a interview that year. "One of our images of you in America is without the shirt on a pony." What's that all about?
Russian leader responded, "You know what, I have seen photos' of me riding a bear." Although I haven't ridden a bear yet to this day, there are photos of it.
Business Insider has the original article.
