Is he trying out for a role as the next Bond villain? Vladimir Putin takes control of a research submarine in the Black Sea in latest bizarre stunt

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Vladimir Putin was not looking for the secret passageway to his underwater lair.

In his latest eye-catching stunt, he took the mini-submarine on a stroll to the bottom of the Black Sea to inspect an ancient shipwreck.

On Tuesday, the Russian president explored the remains of a Byzantine trading ship which dated back to the 10th Century.

His head could be seen poking from the submersible vessel's glass dome structure before he took it 83m below the water off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine last year.

Are you coming? Vladimir Putin's (pictured) head can be seen inside the glass dome structure of a mini-submarine as he explores the waters off the coast of the Crimean peninsula

Adventure time: Putin took the mini-submarine to the bottom of the Black Sea to inspect an ancient shipwreck

Cheer up: He took the craft 83m below the water off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine last year

Explorer: Putin (pictured) took control of the three-seat submersible vessel to see the remains of a Byzantine trading ship which dated back to the 10th Century

Proud: 'I have to say that there are not that many similar remains like this in the north of the Black Sea,' Putin (right) said when he resurfaced

Speaking over the radio while still underwater, Putin said he hoped the discovery would shed light on Russia's 'historical development'. 

'83m is a pretty substantial depth... It was interesting,' Putin told journalists in televised comments after the dive.

Regarding the shipwreck, which was discovered off the coast of Sevastopol by Russian divers this year, Putin said: 'It is still to be investigated by experts. 

'I have to say that there are not that many similar remains like this in the north of the Black Sea.'

The Kremlin strongman went underwater to view the Byzantine-era wreckage in the Black Sea off Crimea that included a trove of 10th century pottery.

The remains were discovered off the coast of Sevastopol by Russian divers earlier this year.

'It is a galleon that was transporting civilian cargo through the bay of Balaclava,' Putin said.

'It is still to be investigated by experts. I have to say that there are not that many similar remains like this in the north of the Black Sea.'

In 2009, he dove down around 1,400m to the bottom of the world's deepest lake, Baikal, in another mini-submarine.  

Sense of importance: Speaking over the radio while still underwater, Putin (pictured) said he hoped the discovery would shed light on Russia's 'historical development'.

Full steam ahead: Russian President Vladimir Putin sits on board a bathyscaphe as it plunges into the Black sea

Coming out: Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) walks after submerging into the waters of the Black Sea inside a research bathyscaphe as part of an expedition near Sevastopol, Crimea

The carefully choreographed photo opportunities are designed to buff up the image of the Russian leader as an 'Action Man'.

Putin's popularity reached an all-time high in recent months. Approval ratings were just under 90 per cent as Russian state-run media has intensified his promotion since the seizure of Crimea in February 2014.

But not all of his bizarre adventures have turned out to be success. In staged scuba dive in 2011, he apparently found two ancient amphorae off the Russian coast close to Crimea, but it turned out the urns had been placed there for him to find.

He has also brought up ancient Greek pottery shards that his spokesman later admitted had been planted.

THE 'BEST' OF PUTIN'S BIZARRE ACTIVITIES 

Vladimir Putin has become notorious for his strange stunts during the 15 years he has been in charge of Russia.

In one of his most famous and hilarious incidents, the Russian leader was pictured topless while riding a horse through the town of Kyzyl, southern Siberia.

Just some of his other stunts include flying a motorised hand glider to show a group of cranes their flying route, playing ice hockey in Sochi and hugging a koala bear.

Action Man: The Russian leader was once pictured topless while riding a horse through the town of Kyzyl, southern Siberia

Going down: Putin (pictured) embarks on a dive to an underwater archaeological site at Phanagoria on the Taman Peninsula, Russia

Don't tackle him: President Vladimir Putin (in white) in action during a Nignt Hockey League match in Sochi

Follow me: He took flight on a motorised hand glider as part of the 'Flight of Hope' project, aiming to preserve Red Book crane species (pictured) by showing the young birds their flying route

Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a koala before the G20 Leaders' Summit in Brisbane, Australia, in November last year

Big catch: Russian President Vladimir Putin fishes in the Khemchik River in southern Siberia's Tuva region in 2007