A far cry from his topless macho look: Awkward-looking Putin wears shell suit and blue Adidas sweatpants in newly unearthed video from 1990s trip to Finland when future Russian despot was adviser to local city mayor
A far cry from his topless macho look, the awkward-looking Putin wears a shell suit and blue Adidas sweatpants in a newly unearthed video from a trip to Finland in the 1990s, when the future Russian despot was an adviser to the local mayor
Video footage has emerged of an awkward-looking Putin, wearing a shell suit and blue Adidas sweatpants, during a visit to Finland in the early 1990s.
In contrast to his topless macho look on horseback, the Russian despot is seen with long, unkempt hair and a casual purple and green tracksuit.
The video, obtained by the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLEwas filmed at a time when Putin was about forty years old and his political figure was rapidly gaining popularity.
In 1991, Leningrad’s name was changed to Saint Petersburg. Putin became the right-hand man of Mayor Anatoly Sobchak, who appointed him head of the Commission on External Relations.
Today, Putin remains fiercely private, with only selected images and videos available to the public, in which he appears rigid and incredibly serious.
Video footage has emerged of an awkward-looking Putin wearing a shell suit with unkempt long hair, in the early 1990s
In the images, a demure Putin eats at the dining table, dressed in a shell suit
Putin introduced himself while riding a horse in the South Siberian region of Tuva, Russia, on August 3, 2009
Instead, the rare footage shows him even smiling as he plays a ping-pong match with Sobchak and the mayor’s bodyguards, wearing a form-fitting white vest and sweatpants.
The group stayed on the island of Torsö in Raseborg, about 90 kilometers from Helsinki, in a villa owned by the Finnish trading company Thomesto, which at the time imported wood from Russia, the broadcaster said.
Another clip shows Putin sitting at a table with a dozen people eating a meal. He seems subdued as he chews away while host Sobchak cuts some meat at the head of the table.
Putin then makes a joke about the market economy, which was introduced in Russia after the collapse of communism.
Further clips show the group on a fishing trip. while Putin sits quietly in a small motorboat, wearing an orange raincoat.
According to the broadcaster, Putin – now a powerful dictator who has launched a barbaric invasion of Ukraine – was very quiet during the trip, with one source emphasizing how little power he had at the time of filming, stating that he was far from it. the macho image he has now created for himself.
The images show a Putin who is no different from the rigid and serious look that the public sees today
Putin carries a hunting rifle during his trip in Ubsunur Hollow in Siberia’s Tyva region, October 30, 2010
The Russian despot has dominated Russia for almost 23 years since being picked by President Boris Yeltsin as his preferred successor in a surprise announcement on New Year’s Eve 1999.
Since then, Putin has been president or prime minister of Russia. He has met all kinds of world leaders and has carefully crafted his image as a strong man.
To play at home on his base, he has often posed while performing adventurous stunts, including riding a horse bare-chested, firing guns at shooting ranges, playing ice hockey or even exploring the depths of the ocean.
But despite his attempts to show his fun side, he has dragged Russia back into isolation with his aggression. He has been involved in several conflicts – from Georgia to Syria and Ukraine – and is alleged to have ordered many criminal acts on foreign soil – such as political assassinations – while cracking down on domestic dissent.