Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Vladimir Putin tells US magazine Outdoor Life: "I’m not a hunter"
Putin tells the magazine about his favourite fishing places
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave an interview to the American magazine Outdoor Life, a 113-old publication for hunters, fishermen and travellers
Outdoor Life published an abridged version of the interview and the Russian magazine Russky Pioner (Russian Pioneer) carried a full version. "The interview was so straightforward that the Americans didn't publish it in full," Russky Pioner Editor Andrei Kolesnikov explained to Komsomolskaya Pravda.
We publish below the most interesting moments of Putin's conversation with Gayne C. Young, a correspondent of Outdoor Life.
Putin with his shirt off
OL: "Perhaps one of the reasons you are popular with American outdoors enthusiasts is that you seem not to be concerned with "political correctness." For example, it is highly unlikely that President Obama (or any past president) would ever allow himself to be photographed holding a scoped hunting rifle or with his shirt off, holding a fish he just caught, for fear it would offend some people..."
VP: "You say that you cannot imagine the U.S. President even allowing himself to be photographed while hunting, or with his shirt off. But I can because I remember pictures of Theodore Roosevelt taken not just with a hunting rifle or a fishing rod in his hands, but with a lion he killed. And indeed, as recently as last summer, President Barack Obama was bathing in the Pacific Ocean in front of TV and photo cameras, and he was not wearing a tie, to put it mildly. Does this look like politically incorrect behavior? Not to me, and my ethnic origin has nothing to do with that.
"It is certainly very important, particularly for the head of state, to carry oneself in such a way as not to offend or humiliate people's feelings, in word or deed; however, the society is so rich in various – sometimes mutually exclusive – customs, hobbies and forms of self-expression that it is merely impossible to measure one's actions against each of them every now and then.
"We cannot reduce everything to absurdity, but we should not show off in this context, displaying ostentatious commitment to the so-called standards of decency. We need to identify and maintain essential, basic things."
On hunting:
"I am not a hypocrite and believe that hunting can exist as part of leisure. As for brown bears – one of the most popular hunting targets on Kamchatka – I don't think I will ever go after them. As far as I'm concerned, other animals do not have to worry. I prefer to watch them in their natural habitat and conduct research.
"I am not a hunter. I can give you advice relying on the opinions of my friends and colleagues who are experts. According to their stories, it is very popular to hunt for Manchurian wapitis in the Irkutsk Region and in the Republic of Buryatia.
"The trips to Yakutia to see bighorn sheep, giant elk and reindeer are very interesting. By the way, one can enjoy excellent fishing there as well, because the rivers of Yakutia are where the taimens, whose weight can reach 40 kilograms [88 pounds], are found. They say that there is good hunting for wolves on the Taimyr Peninsula, in Kamchatka and Chukotka."
On fishing:
"As for fishing, it is congenial to me; I love it and enjoy any opportunity – which I have very rarely, unfortunately – to sit with a fishing rod. To tell the truth, sometimes my job even helps me. How else could I have managed to go fishing in America being accompanied by two presidents?
"To be more serious, according to my personal rating, one can experience the best fishing in the world in the Murmansk Region and in the Volga River delta near Astrakhan. It was there, by the way, where I was hunting – that is to say 'went shooting' – at carp with a harpoon gun.
"I was very impressed by the fishing in the Republic of Tyva. There is the Khemchik River, which is the largest left tributary of the Upper Yenisei River, or the Ulug-Khem, as the native people call it. I assure everyone that you will have an unforgettable time not only on the Khemchik's banks, but throughout Tyva in general.
"In preparing for the Sochi Olympics we pay much attention to environmental issues and do our best to make up for environmental impacts, which unfortunately cannot be avoided. For example, upon completion of construction works in the Mzymta River valley, the developer released two and a half million small fry into the river. In 2014, having already grown up, they will be waiting for you...
"You will be able to spend a good time with a fishing rod in the open sea or practice submarine fishing. The most common fish species are horse mackerel, goatfish and goby fish. If you are lucky, you can fish up a grey mullet, a flounder or even a spurdog. If you are not lucky, you may catch a scorpion fish, which I really would not recommend you touch with bare hands.
"We also have a large trout farm near Sochi on the way to Krasnaya Polyana. Certainly, trout can be caught in our mountain rivers as well, but that is an occupation for particularly patient fishermen. In the Adler area, there are also some lakes harbouring carp, crucian carp, silver carp and sea bass.
"By the way, not so far from Sochi, in the Rostov and Krasnodar areas, you can also have a good time hunting mallards and wild geese."
Taking biopsy of a whale skin
"First, all that surrounded me – the low sky, the stormy sea and, of course, the whales – was magnificent. Besides, these elegant giants showed us a real performance, leaping out of the water in front of our boat.
"Second, I was really thrilled. I do not want to offend your feelings as a hunter, but, by its intensity, its dynamics, that was a real hunt. But without killing the animal. And this was a special pleasure. This is not a melodramatic statement. That's the way it really was.
"We left not just to see the whales, but to take a biopsy – in other words, to dart one of the animals with a crossbow arrow, which can rip off a small part of whale skin necessary to make a special analysis. It was not that easy; three times I failed, and only the fourth attempt was successful. Of course, I could justify myself that the boat was tossing badly and that it was the first time for me to handle a crossbow, but the main reason I see was my anxiety, because participation in the scientific experiment is a very important undertaking."
On risks
"Despite all the achievements of civilization, the human being is still one of the most vulnerable creatures on earth. None of us is protected from crimes, epidemic outbreaks, natural and technogenic disasters. What I am saying is not a fatalistic view of the world, it is a realistic one.
"However, this is not the reason to hide away from life. There is a major Russian writer, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. In 1883, he wrote a very accurate piece, 'Overwise Gudgeon'. As one can guess from the title, it tells about a gudgeon who, expecting danger, was continuously sheltering under a stone, and finally reached his deep senility, but never actually experienced his life. Of course, careless, unjustified risk-taking can only lead to harm. But one can truly enjoy his or her life only while experiencing it, and it is inevitably related to a certain level of risk."
The coolest man on Earth
OL: "I have written about your outdoor activities for Outdoor Life's website for several months now. In one of my pieces, I stated that, because of your work in conservation and given the incredible adventures you have participated in, you are probably the coolest man in politics. Please do not be modest: Are you the coolest man in politics?"
VP: "I do not think I am ready to wear the laurel of 'the coolest man in politics,' and actually I do not find anything out of the ordinary in my work in conservation or my active lifestyle. In my opinion, both things are normal for anyone.
"Anyway, I would like to thank you for your high praise; however, I can say about my colleagues – heads of many states and governments – that I know them quite well, some of them are my friends, and virtually all of them are extraordinary, really interesting people, and obviously outperform me in some ways. But, of course, all of us have merits and flaws."
Larisa Kaftan
