Russian president Vladimir Putin celebrated his 63rd birthday on Wednesday in style, by participating in an ice hockey game that brought together tycoons, government officials, and NHL players, the Daily Mail has reported.
In the game, which was broadcast live on Russia's state broadcaster, Putin scored seven goals and steered his team to thrash their opponents, 15-10. His side comprised of hockey legends like Pavel Bure, while the opponents included Russia's defense minister Sergei Shoigu, the man overseeing Russia's military intervention in Syria.
Others on the team included two prominent tycoons slapped with sanctions by the West after Russia annexed Crimea last year; Arkady Rotenberg and Gennady Timchenko.
After the hockey game, Putin was given the trophy his team won, and thanked for his personal contribution to the growth of hockey in the country, according to Daily News.
Putin is also an ardent lover of Judo, and never hesitates to show off his physical and masculine side; he has been photographed before on hunting trips and fishing expeditions bare-chested, according to The Guardian. He made headlines in August when he was seen on TV in a private gym lifting weights with Prime Minister Dmitry Mevdev. In that footage, Putin was seen giving pointers to Mevdev as they lifted the weights, after which they drank tea and had grilled steaks.
He has been accredited by many for developing sports in Russia, and the 2014 Winter Olympics that were held in Sochi saw the country finish at the top of the medal table, considered a major achievement for Russia.
Last year, Putin celebrated his birthday in the Siberian wilderness, secluded and away from the public gaze; this year was clearly different, with his birthday celebrations extending to as far as Grozny, Chechnya's capital.
Officials organized a soccer game in Grozny that featured Italian veterans as a way to celebrate Putin's birthday. "The best president. Happy birthday," read a banner that was unfurled to cover the entire soccer pitch during that match.
