Russia's Prime Minister for life, Vladimir Putin has given his latest display of machismo - this time tracking endangered whales.
Speeding across rough Pacific waters with his weapon in his hand, Mr Putin managed a media double whammy by enhancing his tough guy image as well as showing his softer side.
When asked about the dangerous task of shooting a tracking dart into the whale while the boat was skimming across the water he replied "Life is danger, have you ever been to Moscow? And anyway, I love shooting things, just give me a gun and start running, I'll be as happy as a Muscovite in a vat of vodka"
In recent months he has shot a Siberian tiger with a tranquiliser gun and released leopards into a wildlife sanctuary out of a circus canon, just for shits 'n' giggles.
In April he attached a satellite-tracking collar to a tranquilised polar bear, which is now circling high above the earth, waiting to be shot down by the trigger happy action man.
