Putin leads his ice hockey team to an 8-5 victory on Christmas Day
Vladimir Putin leads his ice hockey team to an 8-5 victory on Christmas Day with the Russian president ‘scoring over half of the team’s points’
- Russian President Vladimir Putin periodically plays ice-hockey in Russia
- The Russian premier has long been keen to show off his athletic prowess
- Other sporting activities include working out with the PM and hitting the slopes
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ice hockey team thrashed their opponents 8:5 in an annual game played on Moscow’s Red Square on Wednesday and Putin scored more than half of the goals.
Putin’s team played in red jerseys while their opponents, a squad of influential Russian ministers, musicians and businessmen, donned white for the evening competition.
A judo blackbelt, Putin has long been keen to show off his athletic prowess, including by working out with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, hitting the ski slopes in Sochi or diving to the bottom of the Black Sea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an exhibition match of the Night Hockey League on an ice rink at Red Square in Moscow on December 25, 2019
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin takes part in a Night Hockey League friendly match at the GUM ice rink in Red Square yesterday
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, centre, is seen taking a break during a Night Hockey League friendly match at the GUM ice rink in Red Square
The Russian premier has played in the Night Hockey League since 2012, with his first game taking place shortly after he earned the presidency.
He has played in every gala match since 2014, scoring 27 goals in just five games.
Last year, Putin scored the opening goal that led his team to win 14-10 against their opponents, according to TASS news agency.
Putin, right back to a camera, tries to score against goalie Governor of the Tula Region Alexei Dyumin during a match of the Night Hockey League skating rink next to at GUM Department store in Red Square in Moscow, Russia yesterday
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes a break during a match of the Night Hockey League skating rink next to at GUM Department store in Red Square in Moscow yesterday
Putin leads the charge during the Night Hockey League friendly match yesterday in Moscow
On team Putin were Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and former NHL stars: Pavel Bure, Valeri Kamensky, Sergei Fedorov, Alexei Kasatonov and others.
The opponent team included Tula governor Alexei Dyumin, businessmen Gennady Timchenko, Vladimir Potanin and Roman Rotenberg, jazz saxophonist Igor Butman, Moscow Region governor Andrei Vorobyev and others.
Putin, whose approval ratings has slipped in recent years as Russia battles economic woes, periodically plays hockey with government officials, businessmen and former National Hockey League (NHL) stars in matches that are broadcast with pomp on national television.
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