It is with much happiness that we mark the return of Vladimir Poontang, the apparent Russian Prime Minister and seducer of bendy, world-renowned gymnasts, to the global public eye. You have been missed, Mr. Poontang, but, with all due respect, we can’t help but wonder, “Are these gratuitous shirtless pics really necessary?”

Certainly, this isn’t the first time that Poontang has staged a shirtless photo op, but, for fuck’s sake, the bloke seems to think he’s Arnold Schwartznegger. The Times UK even indulges Poontang by describing said photos in pure beefcake manner:

Vladimir Putin has buffed up his action-man image and raised the pin-up stakes among world leaders by posing barechested for another set of holiday pictures.

Wearing only green fatigues, his eyes hidden behind reflective sunglasses, Mr Putin also showed his gentler side as he fed the horse from his hand after the ride. Mr Putin, who will be 57 in October, showed off a set of rippling arm muscles as he demonstrated his butterfly swimming stroke. The photos will inevitably trigger mass swooning by women all over Russia — as well as unfavourable comparisons of their husbands to Mr Putin’s manly physique. They will also confirm the Russian Prime Minister’s status as a gay icon.

Mr Putin camped overnight and went whitewater rafting down the region’s fast-flowing rivers, according to Russian news agencies. Other pictures show him walking through fields with a hat similar to that worn by Indiana Jones, the Hollywood adventurer.

Hmm. While all of this is quite amusing and, in a populist sense, slightly appealing, the interpretation of the above statements really depends on which Indiana Jones incarnation the Times happens to be referencing. For convenience’s sake, we’ll just assume that the Times is alluding to this infamous South Park episode.

Hey, that’s pretty damn accurate.

Thanx to Stacy for the Poontang tip.