Action man Putin ties transmitter on whale

Argentina Star (IANS) Sunday 2nd August, 2009

Chkalov Island (Russia), Aug 3 (RIA Novosti) Keeping up his action man image, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has recently set up a satellite transmitter on a white whale in Russia's Far East region and told the animal not to be so angry.

During his visit to Chkalov Island in Russia's Far East Khabarovsk region Friday, Putin met the scientists studying white whales' behaviour, migration patterns and habitats.

He inspected US and Russian-made satellite transmitters and watched a movie showing how these transmitters should be fixed on a white whale's body. Then, accompanied by Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu and a group of scientists, Putin headed for the sea.

The Russian prime minister then approached a white whale named Dasha in order to attach a transmitter on to it.

Putin asked whether Dasha could eat him and those with him, but a scientist calmed him down, saying: 'She won't eat us but could splash us with cold water.'

'Probably if she gets angry,' Putin replied.

Having attached the transmitter on to Dasha, he clapped the whale on the sides and said: 'Don't be angry anymore.' The whale was then released back into the sea.

Before this whale-stunt, the macho-leader had flown a fighter jet, defeated black-belts on the judo mat and also shot a tiger with a tranquilizer dart.

later, Putin boarded a mini-submarine and dived to the bottom of Lake Baikal in Siberia.

--Ria Novosti

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