Russian President Vladimir Putin and some of his top officials took a break from state affairs ahead of Putin’s birthday, spending a few days hiking, hillwalking, and even driving offroad in the thick of the Siberian wilderness. Days off are a rare occurrence in Putin’s tight schedule. When he manages to get a few of them away from the Kremlin, he usually spends the time in the country’s wilderness enjoying the nature and its calm. This time, the Russian president chose the Siberian taiga forest to go on a hike ahead of his October 7 birthday.