Vladimir Putin is not only the leader of the largest country in the world; he is one of the most wealthy and powerful men on the globe.
He's also a bit strange.
Instead of drawing this out with a lengthy opening paragraph, we will focus on some of the bizarre stories surrounding the Kremlin leader.
1. Putin, The Singer
Putin took the stage to sing a rendition of the 1956 single, “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino, at a 2010 charity concert in St. Petersburg, Russia. Among the crowd were American actors such as Sharon Stone and Kevin Costner.
2. Putin Against Food
In 2015, Putin boycotted illegally imported European foods. Cheeses, apples and other types of foods were gathered in St. Petersburg to be destroyed.
What was meant to be a publicity stunt backfired immediately as St. Petersburg had been the location of a World War II Nazi invasion where many citizens starved to death.
3. Putin, The Thief
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft visited the Kremlin in 2005 alongside then Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) president Sandy Weill just after Kraft received his Super Bowl XXXIX ring for the 24-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kraft left without his ring. He revealed years later, “I took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on, and he goes, 'I can kill someone with this ring,' I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out."
White House officials asked Kraft to leave the problem alone, saying, “It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.”
See Also: How Much Money Are Tom Brady's 7 Super Bowl Rings Worth?
4. Putin, The Matchmaker
To kick up Russia’s libido, in 2013 Putin hired 90’s R&B group “Boyz II Men” to perform a set of romantic ballads at a concert in Moscow just before Valentine’s Day, with the goal being to increase the country’s birth rate.
Putin has encouraged Russian families to have at least three children each.
5. Putin, The Bird
In early 2012, on his way to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Putin found himself on a motorized hang glider, wearing an entirely white jumpsuit with the hopes of teaching a flock of Siberian cranes how to fly on their winter migration path.
"They are beautiful boys, adorable; they are just three months old but big already," Putin told the newspaper Izvestia.
Photo: Harold Escalona via Shutterstock
