An avid judo enthusiast who has made great play of his action man image, Vladimir Putin took to the ice for an exhibition hockey match.

Mr Putin, 62, scored eight times with his defence minister chipping in another three as Team Putin ran out 18-6 winners.

His team were helped by the presence of what some uncharitable observers might call ringers – National Hockey League stars Pavel Bure and Valeri Kamensky.

Vladimir Putin

The match at Sochi was one of a series of events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two.

Mr Putin’s latest venture into the sporting arena was rather more successful than that of one time US presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney, who was defeated in a charity boxing match by former world champion, Evander Holyfield.

Now in his third term as president – and considering another run in 2018 – Mr Putin has made great play of his muscular sporting prowess.

Whether it be riding a horse, participating in judo or diving to the bottom of the world’s deepest lake in a mini-submarine, there appears to be no limit to the Russian leader’s athletic endeavour.

Vladimir Putin in action

It also served to demonstrate that Mr Putin is in fine fettle, given rumours about his health two months ago, when he disappeared from view.

Vladimir Putin scored 8 goals in a game with former NHLers in Russia I imagine the opposing goalie valued his life over his save percentage — Evgeni Malkin's Ego (@EvgeniMaIkinEgo) May 16, 2015

In 2012 the Russian president was seen limping and cancelled a number of foreign trips, stoking up speculation that he was no longer able to undertake long flights.

BREAKING: Poroshenko offers to let Putin score 9 goals against him if Russia leaves Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/spYs0UjErv — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) May 16, 2015

However there was some cynicism on Twitter about Mr Putin’s newly-found talent with some jaundiced observers comparing the Russian President to Kim Jong-il, who according to North Korean media, completed a round of golf 18 shots under par including 11 holes in one.