Biography
The President of Russia, known as Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, was born on October 7, 1952, into a working-class family in Leningrad, now called Saint Petersburg. He is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer, currently the President of Russia.
He has held the position since 2012, and previously held the position from 1999 to 2008. He was also prime minister from 1999 to 2000, and again from 2008 to 2012. Vladimir Putin has cultivated an image of masculine strength and physical prowess, thanks to stunts such as riding a horse topless and driving a Formula One car.
He is a black belt in judo and is proficient in Sambo, a martial art developed in the Soviet military.
His health then became the subject of speculation in 2012 after he was spotted limping at an Asia-Pacific summit – rumours that were dismissed by the Kremlin, which explained that the head of state had only suffered a “minor sports injury”.
Vladimir Putin is also said to have had facial plastic surgery recently.
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin |
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 Vladimir Putin: History, Biography, Photos |
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| Full name: | Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin |
| Stage name: | Vladimir Putin |
| Born: | October 7, 1952 (age 71) |
| Place of birth: | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Previous office: | Prime Minister of Russia (2008-2012), President of Russia (2000-2008), Acting President of Russia (199-2000), Prime Minister of Russia (1999-2000), Acting Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (1999-1999) |
| Nationality: | Russian |
| Height: | 1.70 minutes |
| Parents: | Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, Maria Ivanovna Shelomova |
| Siblings: | Albert Putin, Viktor Putin |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Ocheretnaya (m. 1983–2014) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Do not have |
| The children: | Maria Vorontsova, Katerina Tikhonova |
| Job: | Politician • President of Russia |
| Net worth: | 200 billion US dollars |
Early life
Current Russian President Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, on October 7, 1952. His parents were Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin (father) and Maria Ivanovna Shelomova (mother). He has two older brothers, namely Albert Putin and Viktor Putin.
He grew up with his family in a communal apartment, attending the local grammar school and high school, where he developed a love of sports after graduating from Leningrad State University with a law degree in 1975.
Vladimir Putin began his career in the KGB as an intelligence officer. He worked mainly in East Germany and held this position until 1990, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Upon returning to Russia, Vladimir Putin took an administrative position at Leningrad University, and after the fall of communism in 1991, became an advisor to liberal politician Anatoly Sobchak. When Anatoly Sobchak was elected mayor of Leningrad later that year, he became the mayor’s head of foreign relations, and by 1994, he had become Anatoly Sobchak’s first deputy mayor.
After Anatoly Sobchak’s defeat in 1996, Vladimir Putin resigned and moved to Moscow. In 1998, he was appointed deputy director of administration under President Boris Yeltsin. In that position, he was in charge of the Kremlin’s relations with regional governments.
Soon after, Vladimir Putin was appointed head of the Federal Security Service, a branch of the former KGB, and head of Boris Yeltsin’s Security Council. In August 1999, Boris Yeltsin fired his prime minister, Sergei Stepashin, and his cabinet promoted Vladimir Putin.
Education
During 1960–1968, Vladimir Putin attended Elementary School No. 193 in Leningrad. After eighth grade, he entered Secondary School No. 281, a chemical school under the auspices of a technological institute, completing his studies there in 1970.
In 1970Vladimir Putin became a law student at Leningrad State University and received his degree in 1975.
Career
Vladimir Putin served for about 15 years as a foreign intelligence officer for the KGB (Committee for State Security), including six years in Dresden, East Germany. He retired from the KGB in 1990 with the rank of lieutenant colonel and returned to Russia to become regent of Leningrad University and responsible for its foreign relations.
He then became an advisor to Anatoly Sobchak, the first democratically elected mayor of St. Petersburg. He won Anatoly Sobchak’s trust and became known for his ability to get things done.
He rose to the post of first deputy mayor in 1994. He then moved to Moscow in 1996 and joined the presidential staff as a deputy to Pavel Borodin, the Kremlin’s chief of staff. He became close to fellow Leningrader Anatoly Chubais and moved into administrative positions.
President Boris Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Putin as director of the Federal Security Service in July 1998. He later became secretary of the influential Security Council. In 1999, Boris Yeltsin appointed him prime minister.
In reality, he is not very popular with the public. His approval ratings soared when he launched a well-organized military campaign against separatist rebels in Chechnya. The Russian public appreciated Vladimir Putin’s composure. He continued to support a new electoral bloc, Unity, and secured success in December’s parliamentary elections.
Personal life
In 1980, Vladimir Putin met his future wife, Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Ocheretnaya, who was working as a flight attendant at the time. The couple married in 1983 and had two daughters: Maria Vorontsova, born in 1985, and Katerina Tikhonova, born in 1986, in early June 2013.
After nearly 30 years of marriage, Russia’s first couple announced they were divorcing, offering little explanation for the decision but insisting that they had come to it in a spirit of mutual benefit and friendliness.
“There are people who cannot stand it,” Vladimir Putin declared. “Lyudmila Alexandrovna has been on guard for eight, almost nine years.” Providing further context for the decision, Lyudmila Alexandrovna added, “Our marriage ended because we hardly ever saw each other. He was immersed in his work. Our children have grown up and are living their own lives.”
As an Orthodox Christian, Vladimir Putin is said to regularly attend church services on important holidays and days and has a long history of encouraging the construction and renovation of thousands of churches across the region. He has often aimed to unify all faiths under the authority of the government and requires religious organizations to register with local officials for approval.
Net worth
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who lives a frugal life, declared an annual income of 9.7 million Russian rubles ($133,400) in 2019. According to TASS news agency, Vladimir Putin’s declared assets include two apartments in Russia, two vintage Volga GAZ M21 cars, a Niva SUV and a Skif trailer.
His net worth is estimated at US$200 billion.
Why is Vladimir Putin fighting/threatening Ukraine?
Vladimir Putin sees Ukraine as part of Russia’s sphere of influence – a territory rather than an independent nation. This sense of ownership has prompted the Kremlin to block Ukraine from joining the EU and NATO.
In January 2021, Russia experienced one of its largest anti-government protests in years. Tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated in support of political opposition leader Alexei Navalny. After being detained in Russia, Navalny recently returned from Germany, where he was treated for poisoning by the Russian government.
Vladimir Putin is also using Ukraine to push Western powers to lift their sanctions. The United States currently has a variety of political and financial sanctions against Russia and its potential allies and business partners.
A Russian attack on Ukraine could prompt more diplomatic talks that could lead to concessions on these sanctions.
The costs to Russia of attacking Ukraine would be significantly greater than the benefits.
While a full-scale invasion of Ukraine is unlikely, Vladimir Putin will likely continue fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s decision to build up his military presence along Ukraine is linked to a sense of impunity. He also has experience dealing with Western politicians who favor Russian interests and take stakes in Russian companies after they leave office.
Western countries have imposed largely symbolic sanctions on Russia for meddling in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and a massive cyberattack that targeted some 18,000 people working for U.S. companies and the government, among other violations.
Vladimir Putin has backed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in brutally suppressing mass protests in the capital Minsk without any consequences.
Vladimir Putin has seen some leading Western politicians align with Russia on a number of occasions. These alliances could prevent Western countries from forming a united front with Vladimir Putin.
For example, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder advocated strategic cooperation between Europe and Russia during his time in office. He later joined Russian oil company Rosneft as chairman in 2017.
Other senior European politicians who pushed for a weak stance on Russia in office include former French Prime Minister François Fillon and former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl. Both joined the boards of Russian state-owned companies after leaving office.
