After an extremely busy few months, President Vladimir Putin has taken Tuesday off work to celebrate his 62nd birthday in the Siberian wilderness, according to his press secretary.
"The head of state has flown to the Siberian taiga where he will rest," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency on Monday, adding that Putin would be staying 300-400 kilometers from the nearest city.
This is the first time that Putin has taken his birthday off work in 15 years, TASS reported.
Last year, Putin spent his birthday attending the APECS summit in Bali, where he was treated to a bottle of sake by Japanese President Shinzo Abe and a cake by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the report said.
But while well-wishers may want to send Putin a little something special this year, it is unlikely the president will receive any presents.
"Every year, we receive a lot of congratulatory letters," Peskov said, noting that gifts are usually deposited in the presidential library. "Putin keeps only personal gifts for himself," he added.
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