Why shirtless Putin laughs last

Come August, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Tuva for the next photos with no shirt on. Of course, media attention for a new photo session the Kremlin leader is partly due to the lull in the news cycle, but he has another reason — the incredible success of Putin trolling.

Create a gallery with vacationers Putin has published not only the tabloids, cooperating with the paparazzi. Similarly, did the New York Times, Washington Post and Time. Few presidents can boast of such a success of their official press releases. This is particularly striking when you consider that Putin has been photographed bare chested in this South Siberian region on the Mongolian border in 2007 and 2009 (during his last trip there in 2013, apparently, it was too cold to undress, but Putin is still able to please a social network caught kissing big pike).

All the famous photos of Putin shirtless and on horseback, with a fishing rod, and while swimming the butterfly was taken on vacation in Tuva, in the home of defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Natural beauty — the remoteness of the region, through which the President can only be seen by those who should, like, awaken in the pale of a St. Petersburg native, lived all his life in big cities, brutal romance and seasoned traveler. However, why the Kremlin continues to publish these pictures and why they make the world press with such enthusiasm?

The obvious answer to the first question lies in the fact that Putin decided to demonstrate his impressive — especially for a 65 year old male with sedentary work is the physical form of domestic audience. Most likely, he is confident in the outcome of the elections in 2018, which will be the same parody of democracy, as many previous polls. However, the Russian President, apparently, still interested in that show voters that held on to power for 17 years he disappeared and never got old. Indeed, compared to the photos of 2007 he has lost none of the form — at least, so says a Moscow tabloid MK. On Sunday, he sarcastically compared Putin with Indiana Jones, concluded with irony: “how can you not vote for a torso?”

However, Putin and his press office could not understand that Russians — including those loyal to the President, the majority will treat these pictures with irony. Such things are usually very fun social network, giving rise to many jokes and memes — often not too flattering for the President. I especially liked the collage with Putin, preparing to dive in a huge mud puddle on the outskirts of a Russian town through which ankle-deep in water to wander the school. Often join the fun even official publications. When Putin’s press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the President two hours pursued Tuvan pike, “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”, the official organ of the government, announced the news on Twitter with a picture with the runner Usain Bolt (Usain Bolt) with a pike head.

Even in Russia many fishing enthusiasts go Putin declared a dilettante. They argue that chasing fish is not the ideal tactics that pike is better to catch the bait, but not hunt them with a harpoon that booty Putin looks too small and his technique of diving is poor.

In Russia hunting labors of Putin very few people is impressive — and so is his hockey achievements, like his staged fights with the wrestlers. The Russians used that their rulers are trying to look like Superman. I grew up on stories about what the brain of Vladimir Lenin had a special physical structure, which provided an unprecedented genius. Rampant sarcastic the perception of such attempts to deify the leader is preserved since the Soviet times. Controlling Russia, Putin is not based on a cult of personality and the strength and cunning. And the Kremlin, when you publish these pictures, hoping they will help him to create a cult of personality — he remembers the calm attitude of society to such previous publications.

Apparently, all this macho style is addressed primarily to a Western audience, which is kind of a half-naked Putin definitely worked. The Western press still illustrates the article about the Russian President shots from his last photo shoot, but in Russia photos from 2007 and 2009 have not used even the most servile and Pro-Kremlin media.

In the last album Randy Newman (Randy Newman) there’s a song about Putin with these words:
When he takes off his shirt// Ladies go crazy.//When he takes off his shirt, // I’m sorry, I’m not a lady.

This, of course, also a joke, but very different from Russian memes about Putin who can dive in water-filled road rut. The Western audience sees the Russian leader a combination of machismo, durnovkusiya and physical charm of “bad guy” and her as if hypnotized. Photos strengthen Putin’s image as a favorite object of hatred of Western journalists. At least see what is happening the people who run the Kremlin propaganda machine.

“I read the NYT report about the vacation of Putin — writes in Twitter Margarita Simonyan, head of the propaganda channel RT. Is, of course, love. Offended and angry. Because unshared”.

It is unlikely many Americans something to convince the comparison of Putin with brawny fat Donald trump, who loves fast food and when he plays Golf, drives a Golf cart even on the lawn. In the end, the Americans who like Putin, basically just voted for trump. However, Russia does not try to create yourself attractive for the Western world. We are talking about pure mockery and trolling. Shirtless Putin in dark glasses, floating on a boat in a remote Siberian lake is clearly not the man unable to seriously worry about the next Congress to sanction. While U.S. intelligence agencies are caught in American computer networks, Russian hackers, Putin quietly catching pike.

In fact, the Western media could he not play along. But now August — and without the notorious unrequited love, I suspect, is not done. But, I must tell you, colleagues, this was not a good idea. Maybe you a better picture of Angela Merkel on the holiday spread will be? Putin extra support certainly does not need.