Putin’s treasure find faked admits aide

Internet commentators have long cast doubt on the many macho exploits of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Now in a candid interview his press secretary has admitted that they may have a point.

In an interview with Dozhd TV, an internet news and analysis channel, press secretary Dmitri S Peskov said that some sixth century jugs apparently plucked from the seabed by Mr Putin during a diving trip had actually been discovered by archaeologists “several weeks or days before”.

Mr Peskov commented “Naturally they either left them there, or they put them there. It is a completely normal thing to do. It is totally not a pretext for malicious joy and so forth.”

The expedition was filmed in the run-up to an announcement that Mr Putin would be seeking a third term as Russian president.

Mr Putin has a well-established track record of action-man appearances. In the past he has been caught on camera riding shirtless on a horse, staging judo contests and driving a formula one racing car. This August he found time, while attending a political summer camp, to scale a climbing wall without a harness and for a spot of arm-wrestling.

Read more: Strong-arm tactics as Putin visits summer camp

Pointing out that he had been on holiday when the diving expedition was filmed, Mr Peskov denied that he had thought up the stunt.

Mr Peskov told the interviewer: “In general, regarding his ‘legend’ and so forth, Putin doesn’t need press secretaries or image-makers or public relations firms or anyone else. In fact, most of the time he does it himself.”