Russian President Putin goes into the forest to pick mushrooms and climb mountains to celebrate his birthday

Russian President chooses mountain climbing to celebrate his birthday. Photo: RT

According to Russian news agency TASS, as promised by spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the video recording Mr. Putin's trip to the taiga was posted after midnight on October 6, early morning on October 7, when the Russian leader celebrated his birthday.

The footage shows President Putin and his companion, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, walking and picking mushrooms in the Siberian forest. Putin himself drives an all-terrain vehicle, while Shoigu sits in the passenger seat.

During one of the stops, the footage shows Shoigu digging up a wild strawberry bush, with the Russian president smilingly telling his minister: “You can grow it at home in the Moscow Region.” When Shoigu asked which bushes were suitable for the Moscow Region, Putin said: “We need to create air and water like this in Moscow.”

Mr. Putin was at the wheel and Russian Defense Minister Shoigu was his companion. Photo: RT

The Russian President also climbed a mountain and enjoyed the view from the top. He exclaimed: “The Yenisei River is so beautiful from here.”

The video shows Mr Putin climbing the mountain, which he said was about 2,000 metres high. “Higher than the clouds, much higher. We climbed higher than the clouds,” Mr Putin said.

Putin turns 67 on October 7. His spokesman Peskov said earlier that Putin “plans to celebrate his birthday outdoors with his family and close friends.” In previous years, Putin has also made one- or two-day trips to the taiga on several occasions, often accompanied by Shoigu.

Clip of President Putin traveling in the taiga forest in Siberia: