Why russians are badass

Many are obsessed with the Watergate-like scandal involving President Trump and his various stooges who were a tad cozy with Russian envoy Sergey Kislyak during the campaign.

In movies, TV, novels, comic books and other genres, the Russian villain has been a staple since the heyday of the Cold War. Some of these villains personified dread of nuclear horror. Others embodied hysterical fears of communism. Some simply provided tough-talking goons for the likes of Rambo or Hulk Hogan to clobber. When a story needed a baddie, the Russians were — and are — reliable and versatile.

We owe these fictional Cold Warriors a debt for the entertainment — much as we owe the Russian people an apology for the stereotypes. Sorry, folks. This is America: land of the free, not subtlety. Either he is ruthlessly exploiting the media or he is a real-life action hero of such colossal scope that any movie starring him would seem absurd.

When wildfires ravaged the Ryazan region of Russia last year, Putin didn't appear in front of a camera to assure residents that everything possible was being done, he appeared in the front of a Beriev BE amphibious aircraft to do it himself. Initially a passenger on the fire-fighting flight, the Prime Minister took this natural disaster's attack on his homeland personally and seized the copilot's seat. He then throttle-aimed the plane at the fire and personally beat a wildfire into submission.

What would be a memorable event in anyone's life, flying a plane filled with water was just another day for Putin. He's had more kickass vehicles under his command than Optimus Prime; he flew a Tu supersonic heavy bomber in an air show, and a Russian Sukhoi Su over Chechnya in For anyone lacking the historical context, Chechnya in was one of the worst places to hang out in a fighter jet, and an even worse place to do so as the Russian President. And he still found it boring.

He also celebrated a deal bringing F1 to Russia by driving one around at mph and nearly crashing it. After personnel told him how fast he was going, he responded with, "For the first time, it's good. For him mph and nearly crashing a personalized F1 trial isn't fantasy; it's barely acceptable. He also upstaged President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow by cruising into town with bikers called the "Night Wolves," presumably just to mess up traffic for the American President and maybe to see what it was like to chain whip someone with a gang.

In Putin visited Ussuri national park with a camera crew to see a trapped tiger when the adjective "trapped" suddenly, and pants-shittingly, no longer applied. Faced with the now-loose predator, Putin scooped up a tranquilizer pistol, dropped the tiger and then, because just downing a people-eating jungle cat didn't shake him up, he helped measure its teeth.

Sleep well, worthy foe. The story is so fantastic it doesn't matter whether it's true or not. If it's true it's better than our politicians, who are decidedly less accurate with guns. And if it's a lie then it's still a better story than any of our politicians can muster, and certainly more comforting. Realizing you're in the capable hands of a man who defeats tigers in his spare time is reassuring. Hell, it's practically an honor to have your country dominated by a man like that. He also fired crossbow bolts at a whale as part of an eco-tracking effort, proving that even when he's helping nature it involves at least medieval era weaponry.

To give the whale a sporting chance he did so from a small rubber dinghy. Captain Ahab used an entire ship. The pansy. He's also tagged and weighed a Polar bear, proving that he's going to save the world if he has to defeat every single thing in it. He helped lift the tranquilized bear onto scales before shaking its paw, both to show respect as one unbelievable badass to another, and to get a measure of the bear's physical strength should Russia ever need them as allies.

If only he was alive at the same time as Theodore Roosevelt they'd have sorted out the whole stupid Cold War mano-a-mano, and it would only have cost the world one forest of felled trees. On an official trade visit to Japan in Vladimir took time out from negotiations to spiritually kick the entire country's ass with Judo.

In front of the Japanese Prime Minister in the Kodokan judo headquarters of Japan, Putin demonstrated his willingness to take on any nation at its own sport.

He suited up and showed everyone his version of various sweeps and throws on the center Kodokan instructor in a sparring match. In fact, he's the only world leader with a special move Haraigoshi.

While Qaddafi has to pay foreigners to fight his own people, you get the impression that if the Russian public ever rebelled Putin would roll up his sleeves and give the army the day off. Good Subscriber Account active since Shortcuts. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Log out. US Markets Loading H M S In the news. Walt Hickey. Vladimir Putin is a consummate outdoors-man. Here Putin recharges on a visit to the Siberian Khakasiya region.

A year veteran of the KGB, Putin knows his way around a gun. After his retirement in , he rapidly rose through Russian politics to become top dog in the world's largest nation. Here, Putin trains with an assault rifle simulator. Here's Putin riding a Harley Davidson to a meeting with motorcycle enthusiasts in Crimea in The high council of Russian bikers unanimously voted him into a Hells Angels rank.

His nickname is "Abaddon," a Hebrew word that roughly translates to The Destroyer. Putin likes speed; In he took a test drive of a Renault Formula One car a racing track in Leningrad. He reached the maximum speed of km per hour. The pair will later hit the slopes. He also lead the Russian team in a "friendly" match against neighboring Finland.

Here, he presents skates to the Finnish president Sauli Niinisto. Putin makes a slap shot right before a youth ice hockey tournament. Putin picked up the sport after promising the Russia men's junior ice hockey team he'd learn it following their win in the world tournament. The man is also a sixth degree Judo black belt.