Vladimir Putin pumps iron to show Russians how strong and healthy he is
The Kremlin has released video of Russian President Vladimir Putin pumping iron at the gym in an attempt beef up his masculine image as his popularity dips.
The vision released shows Putin enthusiastically working out with Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, in his gym in Sochi.
Putin can be seen on a muscle-building apparatus in a publicity stunt that recalled previous shots of him shirtless riding a horse, flying a supersonic jet and hunting a tiger.
After their workout, at Putin's Black Sea's residence of Bocharov Ruchei, the two politicians decided to grill some meat and have some tea, adding to the healthy and wholesome picture.
Raising their china tea mugs, the president and prime minister made a toast before digging into their very manly breakfast.
Putin's approval ranking has been dented by a sluggish economy and free-falling rouble that has halved in value since last year due to a decline in the oil price and Western sanction over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.
However Putin's rating remains very high by Western standards.
A poll, published in business daily Vedomosti by the Public Opinion Foundation, showed 72 percent of Russians would have voted for Putin in August, down from 76 percent in May.
According to polling organisation the Levada Center, Putin's approval rating was 61 percent in November 2013, the lowest since 2000 when he was first elected President, but it surged above 80 percent early last year as Russians rallied around his actions over Ukraine.
