Putin, who is known as a nature and wildlife enthusiast, performed the aquatic manoeuvre on Chkalov Island off Russia’s Pacific coast during a visit to the country’s far east.
He did so after meeting scientists who were on the island studying the migration patterns of beluga, a sea mammal that is threatened by hunting and oil and gas development.
“Then Putin changed into a wetsuit and used a pincer to clip a transmitter onto the hump of a beluga with the nickname Dasha,” Interfax wrote. News agencies reported that Putin got into the water up to his waist and jokingly asked one of the scientists: “It won’t eat us, will it?”
“It won’t eat anyone, but it could spray you,” a scientist replied. “Probably if it gets angry,” Putin said. Once scientists confirmed that the transmitter was attached properly, Putin told the whale: “Don’t be angry anymore.” Then the prime minister and a group of fishermen helped release Dasha into the sea.
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