# On the campaign trail for United Russia, Putin kicks a soccer ball, admires giant halibut, and dons a sailor’s uniform

https://mins.news/en/item/22289

- Meduza, 2026-08-14 15:21 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/08/14/on-the-campaign-trail-for-united-russia-putin-kicks-a-soccer-ball-admires-giant-halibut-and-dons-a-sailor-s-uniform

> Vladimir Putin has recently made an unusually active tour of Russian regions, visiting factories, public events, and residents. Meduza portrays the trips as fitting United Russia’s election campaign and highlights staged-looking episodes in Krasnoyarsk, Ulan-Ude, Novosibirsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Iturup, including a soccer kick, giant fish, and Putin’s first visit to the Kuril Islands.

## Related coverage

- [Putin visited Kuril island to 'punish' Japan over Ukraine stance](https://mins.news/en/item/24124) — DW, 2026-08-17
- [Putin's first visit to Pacific islands claimed by Japan draws Tokyo protest](https://mins.news/en/video/21324) — The Associated Press, 2026-08-13
- [Putin visits Kuril Island of Iturup](https://mins.news/en/item/20820) — TASS, 2026-08-13