Putin Scuba dive discovery 'was faked'
But now it turns out the artifacts had been put there by archaeologists keen to please Russia's best-known politician so that he could see what it was like to be in on such a discovery.
"Putin did not find the amphorae on the sea bed that had been lying there for thousands of years," spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted in an interview broadcast online. Putin Scuba dive discovery 'was faked',
"That is obvious. They were found during an (archaeological) expedition several weeks or days beforehand. Of course, they were then left there (for him to find) or placed there. It is a completely normal thing to do."
The former president has enjoyed a reputation among Russians as a strong, active man who achieves success in whichever field he chooses.
He has been pictured shirtless on horseback in Siberia, warming wrapped as he tracked polar bears in the Arctic, leather-clad as part of a bikers' rally and showing off his judo skills as the frontman for a video on martial arts.
Mr Putin has recently announced he will be standing for re-election for the presidency next year.
He was forced to step aside in 2008 after serving two terms as president because of constitutional rules prohibiting a third term of office. Putin Scuba dive discovery 'was faked'
Source: sky
