Did he really hit the target? Turkmenistan’s President shoots at cut outs of soldiers with a pistol

Did he really hit the target? Turkmenistan’s President shoots at cut-outs of soldiers with a pistol as he rides a bike before line of troops clap in bizarre video

  • Bizarre footage shows the central Asian nation’s president shooting the targets
  • Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, 61, makes the shots while he is on a bike
  • Footage, that appears to be edited, then shows a line of soldiers applauding 

Bizarre footage of Turkmenistan’s President riding a bike while shooting cardboard cut outs of soldiers has been broadcast on television in the central Asian nation. 

Footage that appears to be edited shows Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, 61, attempting to shoot at the targets before being applauded by a line of soldiers.

Social media users have mocked the nation’s ruler, who claims to have gained 97.69 per cent of the vote in the last election, and said the nation is the ‘leading exporter of laughs’.

The dentist-turned-politician has ruled the country for 12 years.

Turkmenistan’s President was filmed shooting three targets while riding on a bicycle. The footage was broadcast this morning on local television

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, 61, shoots the line of blue targets one by one

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, 61, shoots the line of blue targets one by one

Unusual footage shows Turkmenistan’s ruler cycling up to a block lined with three cut out soldiers.

The video then cuts away from the President, to show the target being hit, before cutting back to him – making it unclear whether he did actually shoot the target.

Later the President fires a celebratory shot above his head, which prompts a line of soldiers to burst into applause. 

Social media users have criticised the president’s display shown in the video.

Responding to the video, one wrote: ‘Award for the toughest president of the week goes to Turkmenistan’s glorious President Berdymuhamedov.’

Another wrote: ‘In all parts of the world there are crazy people in power.’

And a third said: ‘Turkmenistan’s president imagines himself to be a gangster.’

He was using a pistol while practising his military skills. He has been President of the central Asian nation for 12 years and was most recently re-elected in February 2017 with 97.69 per cent of the vote

He was using a pistol while practising his military skills. He has been President of the central Asian nation for 12 years and was most recently re-elected in February 2017 with 97.69 per cent of the vote

After shooting the targets a group of smiling soldiers were shown applauding him

After shooting the targets a group of smiling soldiers were shown applauding him

Since being voted in as President in February 2007, in a poll where no credible opposition was allowed, Berdimuhamedow has overseen the expansion of the country’s oil and gas pipeline network.

In July 2007 Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan agreed to build a new pipeline above the Caspian Sea, which would link Russia to Turkmenistan’s gas.

In 2009 a separate pipeline was opened with China which broke Russia’s stranglehold on its extensive energy resources. 

The country has also started constructing a pipeline to link its reserves to Pakistan and India.

Bordering Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the country has a population of just under 5.5million people.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk