Russian president Vladimir Putin has taken a dip in icy lake waters to celebrate Epiphany, a major holiday in Orthodox Christianity marking the baptism of Jesus.
Russian television stations showed the 65-year-old Mr Putin approaching a hole cut in the ice on Lake Seliger in north-western Russia before dunking himself in and crossing himself.
In Orthodox tradition, water blessed by a priest during Epiphany week is considered holy and pure, and believers attribute healing powers to it.
Authorities set up bathing sites for believers all over Russia, including some areas in Siberia where temperatures dipped below minus 30C.
