MOSCOW, Aug 6 — Russian President Vladamir Putin enjoyed a three-day fishing and hunting trip in the Republic of Tyva.

Putin, 64, is renowned for his strong-man publicity stunts, which have contributed to his sky-high popularity ratings. The trip comes eight months before Russia's presidential election next March and, though he has yet to announce his candidacy, Putin is widely expected to run and to win comfortably.

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a fish he caught during the hunting and fishing trip in southern Siberia in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. — Reuters pic

Pictures and video footage released by the Kremlin yesterday showed Putin — who is also a keen practitioner of martial arts and ice hockey — spear-fishing, swimming and sunbathing.

"The water in the lake doesn't get warmer than 17 degrees, but this didn't stop the president from going for a swim," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"He went hunting underwater with a mask and snorkel ... The president chased after one pike for two hours, there was no way he could shoot it, but in the end he got what he wanted." — Reuters