On July 15th, Russian President Vladimir Putin took a 30-minute submarine ride to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. But that’s hardly out of the ordinary for him — his adventurous spirit is very often on display, preferably when TV cameras are conveniently in range. In past years, he’s embarked on dozens of adrenaline-pumping missions:
- Racing in a Formula 1 car
- Battling a wildfire from an airplane
- Tranquilizing a polar bear
- Tranquilizing a whale
- Taking on black belts in a judo tournament
- Scoring a goal in professional hockey
- Discovering ancient Greek pottery while SCUBA diving
Putin is equal parts politician and action hero.