Vladimir Putin loves his photo ops. Whether he’s taming horses without a shirt on, taking down judo black belts with ease, or scoring goals against former NHL players on the ice, he wants to project a physical strength to the Russian people. The photos themselves may do the trick, but the videos look pretty damn bad.
Putin took to the ice again today to perform heroic feats of manliness in order to impress the steel workers in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk. Russia’s largest news agency reports that Vlad’s team crushed the opposition 17-6, while the Russian president scored seven goals. It’s a storyline reminiscent of the time North Korea reported Kim Jong-Il played the greatest golf game ever, shooting a mind-boggling 38-under par. Yet, as you can see from the video below, the defense was less than stellar.
It’s one thing to lay down for the Russian president like a bunch of adults letting a 5-year-old kid win a game on his birthday, but you’d think they’d try to be a little more convincing about it. Make Putin at least think he’s defeating an opponent that’s actually trying. Just look at the acres of space he has as he slots home one of his goals.
Though, the most interesting bit about this game wasn’t included in Russian news agency reports. Right before Putin took the ice, a CBS News correspondent got the chance to ask him a question about President Donald Trump firing FBI Director James Comey. And it seemed to catch ol’ Vlad a little off guard.
The reporter, asking if the firing changes relations between the United States and Russia, drew this response from Putin.
You’d be forgiven if that interview reminded you of this.