Mikhail Klimentyev / AFP - Getty Images Russia's President Vladimir Putin looks at the leader of Nochniye Volki (the Night Wolves) biker group, Alexander Zaldostanov, also known as Khirurg (the Surgeon), after awarding him at a meeting with members of the Military History Society in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, on March 14.

Mikhail Klimentyev / AFP - Getty Images Russia's President Vladimir Putin hands a medal to the leader of Nochniye Volki (the Night Wolves) biker group, Alexander Zaldostanov, also known as Khirurg (the Surgeon).

Sergei Karpukhin / AFP - Getty Images, file Vladimir Putin, then Russian Prime Minister, rides a Harley Davidson Lehman Trike together with the leader of Nochniye Volki (the Night Wolves) biker group, Alexander Zaldostanov, also known as Khirurg (the Surgeon), during Putin's visit to Russian and Ukrainian motorbikers at their camp near Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea, on July 24, 2009.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin awarded a medal to Alexander 'the Surgeon' Zaldostanov, the leader of the Nochniye Volki (Night Wolves) biker group. He presented 'the Surgeon' with the medal after meeting with the Military History Society on Thursday in Moscow. As prime minister, Putin visited the Nochniye Volki's club in 2009 before they participated in a bike show. Putin has since made public appearances with 'the Surgeon' each year, going out for rides together on their bikes.

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