Daredevil Putin rides to bottom of the Gulf of Finland

Moscow: Vladimir Putin’s latest media event was modest by the stunt-happy Russian leader’s standards — a half-hour trip to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland to see a shipwreck. He didn’t even find any treasure. Putin on Monday rode a small submersible craft 60 metres (200 feet) down to see the remains of the naval frigate Oleg, which sank in 1869, Russian news reports said. [caption id=“attachment_958945” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Russian President Vladimir Putin submerges on board Sea Explorer 5 bathyscaphe off the island of Gogland 180 kilometers (110 miles) west of St Petersburg, Russia. AP[/caption] The remains, being examined by marine archaeologists, lie off the island of Gogland 180 kilometers (110 miles) west of St. Petersburg. Putin’s penchant for adventurous stunts included a trip to the bottom of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake, and a scuba dive in which he brought up pottery shards that his spokesman later admitted had been planted. Associated Press