Vladimir Putin has long cultivated a strongman persona, carefully shaping his public image to appear fearless and physically tough. Recently, the Russian President even claimed he had a narrow escape while riding a motorbike. According to him, he once lost control when the bike spun out and flipped over, but he managed to avoid being crushed at the last second.
The story, which he shared with Defence Minister Andrey Belousov during Russian-Belarusian military exercises, adds to the long list of moments where Putin has highlighted his “man of action” image. Over the years, he has made highly publicized appearances with the Night Wolves, a pro-Kremlin biker group, and has been photographed riding a Ural motorcycle with a sidecar.
Putin’s image-crafting goes beyond motorcycles. The Kremlin has frequently released pictures of him shirtless on horseback, hunting in Siberia, sunbathing, swimming with dolphins, and even descending in a mini-submarine in the Baltic Sea. Each of these stunts reinforces the narrative of a strong, adventurous leader.
But while these images aim to impress at home and abroad, they stand in sharp contrast with the realities of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Just this past weekend, Russian forces launched one of their largest strikes yet, firing 619 drones along with 40 cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks were a deliberate strategy to terrorize civilians and damage infrastructure. Video evidence from Dnipro showed missiles hitting residential areas, leaving destruction in their wake.
In short, Putin’s carefully staged displays of toughness may grab headlines, but they cannot overshadow the devastating consequences of the war his government continues to wage.
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