Vladimir Putin Celebrates His Birthday By Scoring Goals, Firing Missiles

[Purveyor]

By Ishaan Tharoor October 7 at 11:11 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 63 on Wednesday, and he celebrated the occasion with his customary swagger. Putin participated alongside former and current professional hockey stars in a game broadcast live on Russian television. True to form, he scored seven goals in his team's 15-10 victory.

To be sure, Putin's glut of goals on his birthday is still a decline from his performance in May, when the famously athletic Russian leader tallied eight goals in a similar match played in the Black Sea town of Sochi.

But he was hitting targets elsewhere.

The Russian military on Wednesday signaled a new phase in its operations in Syria, firing at least 26 missiles from four warships in the Caspian Sea. The missiles flew about 900 miles over Iraq and Iran to targets in Syria — supposedly "infrastructural facilities" belonging to the Islamic State militant group. Putin declared that the strikes "destroyed all the planned targets."

But American observers and officials in some countries that neighbor Syria say the Russian offensive has far less to do with combating the militant group than preserving the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a staunch Moscow ally. In conjunction with the Russian naval salvo, Syrian government forces launched a ground offensive against rebel factions, including some backed by the CIA and excluding the Islamic State.

MORE...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/10/07/vladimir-putin-celebrates-his-birthday-by-scoring-goals-firing-missiles/

[stevenleser]

1. Yep, SURE Putin scored 7 goals in a game vs current and former professional players

Just like the Boss in Mr. Mom won the athletic even he put on vs Jack and the other contestants.

[KamaAina]

5. I'm gonna go out on a limb here

and suggest that this may be like when a kid with Down syndrome or whatever scores a touchdown, while the defense parts like the Red Sea.

[stevenleser]

6. I wrote this about it on my FB page...

I imagine this Memo was sent to Russian current and former professional players participating in hockey match with President Putin -

From head of GRU, General Polkovnik Igor Sergun:

Great Russian Hockey Players:

You have been afforded the greatest possible honor, participating in a hockey match with the strongest, handsomest and smartest man in the world, our President Vladimir Putin.

In return, YOU need to be smart. Any interference with our illustrious leader as he skates with the puck toward the goal will result in the rest of your career being played in the Siberian hockey league at Krasnoyarsk.

Have fun and Ваше здоровье!
General Sergun

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. I see he's gone full Kim Jong Il.

Who I've heard was quite the golfer.

[stevenleser]

3. Yep, Kim scored an 18 in 18 holes on a professional course in Pyongyang.

Beat that you Yankee imperialists!!!11!!1!1!

[geek tragedy]

4. is that art exhibit supposed to be satire, or just creepy fascism?

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1484

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1484

[stevenleser]

8. When you can't see something is wrong with stuff like this, you are way gone.

Both Putin and the folks worshipping him like this need lots of help they are never going to receive.

[stevenleser]

7. Kick for visibility. nt