Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have put on a new show of unity by going fishing and taking a joint dive in the river.
The footage of the two leaders -- both potential candidates in March presidential elections that will likely feature only one of the two men -- appeared aimed at removing suggestions of a brewing political rivalry.
The Kremlin published photographs on its website of the pair standing side by side with fishing rods in their hands and then both grinning broadly while out on a stroll.
State television released images of the two men diving in green wetsuits in the Volga River in the southern region of Astrakhan.
Medvedev was later shown steering a small river boat on his own.
It later emerged that Putin and Medvedev were placed in separate boats, but footage of Putin steering his never made it onto state television or the Kremlin website.
compiled from agency reports
The footage of the two leaders -- both potential candidates in March presidential elections that will likely feature only one of the two men -- appeared aimed at removing suggestions of a brewing political rivalry.
The Kremlin published photographs on its website of the pair standing side by side with fishing rods in their hands and then both grinning broadly while out on a stroll.
State television released images of the two men diving in green wetsuits in the Volga River in the southern region of Astrakhan.
Medvedev was later shown steering a small river boat on his own.
It later emerged that Putin and Medvedev were placed in separate boats, but footage of Putin steering his never made it onto state television or the Kremlin website.
compiled from agency reports