Gone fishing: Russia's Putin bares chest on Siberian lake trip

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a fish he caught during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin stripped to his waist to brave the cold waters of a mountain lake as part of a three-day fishing and hunting trip in the Siberian wilderness, the Kremlin said.

Putin, 64, is renowned for his strong-man publicity stunts, which have contributed to his sky-high popularity ratings. The trip comes eight months before Russia's presidential election next March and, though he has yet to announce his candidacy, Putin is widely expected to run and to win comfortably.

The hunting and fishing expedition took place on Aug. 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, on the Mongolian border, some 3,700 km (2,300 miles) east of Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and head of the Republic of Khakassia Viktor Zimin fish during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Pictures and video footage released by the Kremlin on Saturday showed Putin - who is also a keen practitioner of martial arts and ice hockey - spear-fishing, swimming and sunbathing alongside Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

"The water in the lake doesn't get warmer than 17 degrees, but this didn't stop the president from going for a swim," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"He went hunting underwater with a mask and snorkel ... The president chased after one pike for two hours, there was no way he could shoot it, but in the end he got what he wanted."

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a fish he caught during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

(Reporting by Jack Stubbs and Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Russian President Vladimir Putin relaxes after fishing during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin catches a fish during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu rest during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin rests after swimming during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin drives a boat during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin swims holding a fish he caught during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for snorkeling during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu fish during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin controls a boat during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin poses for a photo during the hunting and fishing trip which took place on August 1-3 in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, Russia, in this photo released by the Kremlin on August 5, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS