Watch: Adventure Time With Vladimir Putin On July 15th, Russian President Vladimir Putin took a 30-minute submarine ride to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. But that's hardly out of the ordinary for him - his adventurous spirit is very often on display, preferably when TV cameras are conveniently in range. In past years, he's embarked on dozens of adrenaline-pumping missions: Racing in a Formula 1 car Battling a wildfire from an airplane Tranquilizing a polar bear Tranquilizing a whale Taking on black belts in a judo tournament Scoring a goal in professional hockey Discovering ancient Greek pottery while SCUBA diving Putin is equal parts politician and action hero.