From left, middle row, legendary Japanese World and Olympics judo champion Yasuhiro Yamashita and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo with students of a judo school during a master class at the school, St. Petersburg, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005. Putin, a black belt in the sport and a KGB veteran of 16 years, met Yamashita on a trip to Tokyo last month and invited him to visit Russia. On Friday night, Putin treated Yamashita with a dinner at a St.Petersburg restaurant. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

Wearing a flying gear Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his souvenir, a mock-up of a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber, at an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk, Russia shortly after landing there aboard a Tu-160, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005, with the bomber crew in the background. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Alexei Panov)

Wearing flying gear, unidentified crew members of a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bombe present souvenirs, a map-case and Air Force field cap, to Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, at an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk, Russia, shortly after they landed, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Alexei Panov)

Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles at an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk, Russia shortly after landing there aboard a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Alexei Panov)

Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing a red and blue helmet sits in the cockpit of a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber shortly after landing at an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk, Russia Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Alexei Panov)

Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles at an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk, Russia, shortly after landing there aboard a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Alexei Panov)

Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing a jump suit sits in the cockpit of a supersonic strategic bomber leaving for a training mission, in Moscow, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a black helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing a jump suit sits in the cockpit of a supersonic strategic bomber ready to leave for a training mission, in Moscow, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005. After attending the Moscow International Air Show Tuesday, the 52-year-old Russian leader donned a black helmet and an air force jump suit, then boarded a sleek white Tu-160 bomber taking off for a training mission that included supersonic flight and launching a cruise missile over the Arctic. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service)

Semyon Yakubov, head of the Kamaz team that won the Dakar-2005 relay race, puts a cap on President Vladimir Putin's head during a meeting with Kamaz team racers near Dmitrov, some 60 km (37.5 miles) north of Moscow, Wednesday, March 16, 2005. Putin examined on Wednesday the latest models of trucks and special vehicles produced by the Kamaz Automobile Plant at a testing ground near Dmitrov. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

President Vladimir Putin takes off a helmet after taking a ride on a Kamaz truck near Dmitrov, some 60 km (37.5 miles) north of Moscow, Wednesday, March 16, 2005. Putin examined on Wednesday the latest models of trucks and special vehicles produced by the Kamaz Automobile Plant at a testinng ground near Dmitrov. (AP Photo / Misha Japaridze)

President Vladimir Putin, wearing a helmet, gets out of a Kamaz truck after taking a ride on it near Dmitrov, some 60 km (37.5 miles) north of Moscow, Wednesday, March 16, 2005. Putin examined on Wednesday the latest models of trucks and special vehicles produced by the Kamaz Automobile Plant at a testinng ground near Dmitrov. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

President Vladimir Putin, center, poses with the Kamaz team that won the Dakar-2005 relay race, as team head Semyon Yakubov puts a cap on Putin's head during a meeting with Kamaz team racers near Dmitrov, some 60 km (37.5 miles) north of Moscow, Wednesday, March 16, 2005. Putin examined on Wednesday the latest models of trucks and special vehicles produced by the Kamaz Automobile Plant at a testinng ground near Dmitrov. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service)

President Vladimir Putin, right, poses with the Kamaz team that won the Dakar-2005 relay race, as team boss Semyon Yakubov puts a cap on Putin's head during a meeting with Kamaz team racers near Dmitrov, some 60 km (37.5 miles) north of Moscow, Wednesday, March 16, 2005. Putin examined on Wednesday the latest models of trucks and special vehicles produced by the Kamaz Automobile Plant at a testing ground near Dmitrov. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Russian President Vladimir Putin trains with a Russian boxing team member at a club after casting his vote for the Russian Presidential election, 14 March 2004 in Moscow. Putin coasted to a landslide victory with 69.0 percent of the vote in Sunday's election, according to the first exit poll aired on Russian television moments after voting ended across the country's 11 time zones. (at R top is Vyacheslav Fetisov, head of the Federal agency on physical training,sport and tourism)

President Vladimir Putin dons boxer's gloves as he attended a training session of Russian national boxing team in Moscow, Sunday, March 14, 2004. Incumbent Vladimir Putin appeared headed toward a strong mandate for a second presidential term, winning more than 65 percent of the vote Sunday, according to preliminary official results and an exit poll. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Russian President Vladimir Putin adjusts his suit at the skiing resort of Abzakovo, Cheliabinsk region in the Urals mountains, where he is spending his holidays, 07 January 2003.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Russian President Vladimir Putin adjusts his hat after giving the medals of the men's slalom at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in St Anton 10 February 2001. 00419278

PHOTO: EAST NEWS ROSYJSKI PREZYDENT WLADIMIR PUTIN Z JAPONSKA DZIEWCZYNKA NA POKAZIE WALKI JUDO PODCZAS WIZYTY PUTINA W JAPONII Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) in judo outfit fights against 10-year-old Japanese schoolgirl Natsumi Gomi as he visits a Tokyo judo training center Kodokan hall 05 September 2000. Putin, who has a black belt in the sport, was thrown over her shoulder onto the mat. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO

PHOTO: EAST NEWS ROSYJSKI PREZYDENT WLADIMIR NA POKAZIE WALKI JUDO PODCZAS WIZYTY W JAPONII Russian President Vladimir Putin shows off his judo skills against a Japanese opponent at a Tokyo judo training center, 05 September 2000. Putin left Tokyo after a three-day official visit for New York to attend the UN Millennium Summit. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/JIJI PRESS