Russian television has shown pictures of President Boris Yeltsin on a snowmobile at his holiday home north-west of Moscow.

It is the first public appearance by the Russian leader, who has a history of heart problems, since the end of December.

The pictures showed him sitting alone on the snowmobile driving across open snowfields and down a wooded track.

The only sound that could be heard was that of the engine.

However, in pictures released later showing Mr Yeltsin standing outside, he could be heard talking about fishing through holes cut in the ice.

Holding his hands about two feet apart, he was heard to say: "The pike - they're like this."

Yeltsin during his meeting with Boris Nemtsov

The TV pictures released on Tuesday also showed Mr Yeltsin meeting his daughter and adviser, Tatyana Dyacheno, as well as the First Deputy Prime Minister, Boris Nemtsov.

They flew up to the Valdai lakeland resort where Mr Yeltsin has been on holiday since January 4.

During the meeting with Mr Nemtsov, the president sat slightly slouched in an armchair wearing casual clothes.

There has been concern that Mr Yeltsin's absence may have been hiding serious health problems; last month he spent two weeks in a sanatorium with a viral infection.

However, a BBC correspondent in Moscow says that judging from the pictures of him bobbing and cutting through the snow, Mr Yeltsin appears in good health.

He looked relaxed and thoroughly at ease with the snowmobile.

The president was also shown in good spirits when he met his daughter and Mr Nemtsov.

They shared a joke about having to change helicopter on their way from Moscow after making an emergency landing because of what turned out to be a false fire alert.
 

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©