The story of Ceasar and the pirates is one of my favorites' stories in Ceasar's life. It represents well the his character: he was somewhat nuts.
It's just a piece of political propaganda that has survived through the ages, all the way until today. There are more examples in this day and age, for example the myths surrounding Alexander the Great.
There's not much you could wear that would protect you from a bear, which is why hunters (including Putin) shoot them from a distance with a rifle.
But none the less the bare chested bit is he's out in the wilderness (Perhaps even cold being Russia) not even needing a shirt for many hours at a time tracking a bear. I see that as being a pretty tough image for a 61 year old.