Russian road trip

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is driving 2000km across Siberia in a canary yellow Lada.

Accompanied by television cameras, Putin set out on the gruelling drive between the far eastern city of Khabarovsk and Siberia's Chita in one of the world's most-mocked cars.

Lada's makers asked him to test the car, Putin said on his website.

He will drive along a new highway that is the first road to cross the remote wilderness between Siberia and Far Eastern Russia, previously only passable by rail or air.

The road is due to open for traffic in September.