Vladimir Putin (1952 - ) is a Russian lawyer and politician and has been the President of Russia since 2012.
A former KGB official, after the dissolution of the Soviet agency, Putin devoted himself to politics. First in his hometown of St. Petersburg, and finally with former president Boris Yeltsin.
Putin Biography
Vladimir Putin was born in St. Petersburg on October 7, 1952. At the time of his birth, the city was called Leningrad in honor of the communist leader Lenin.
From a modest family, the father had fought in the Red Army and the mother had to resist the siege of the city during the Second World War.
Vladimir Putin studied law at Leningrad State University in 1975. He then took preparatory courses to join the Soviet secret service, the KGB. He would first serve in his hometown, but with promotions and studies, he moves to Dresden, Germany in 1985 as a lieutenant colonel.
Two years earlier, in 1983, Putin had married Lyudmila Shkrebneva. The couple would have two daughters, Maria Poutina and Katerina Poutina, and would divorce in 2013.
Political Career
Once German reunification has taken place, KGB services are dismantled in the country. He returns to St. Petersburg and there he would be under the protection of the rector of the University of Leningrad, Anatoly Sobtchak.
Along with Sobchak, Vladimir Putin enters local politics. First, in Sobchak's successful mayoral campaign. When Putin fails in his re-election bid, Putin goes to Moscow and is appointed deputy director of the presidency.
In this context, Putin gained the trust of Russian President Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007). In addition to the economic crisis, Yeltsin found himself increasingly isolated due to alcoholism and his health problems. Thus, not a few want to take the representative's place as quickly as possible.
Yeltsin makes him head of the Secret Service and later makes him Prime Minister. It is important to clarify that in Russia it is the premier who assumes the presidency if the Chief Executive is unable to do so.
When Yeltsin resigns on December 31, 1999, Putin assumes the presidency. With the United Russia Party, Vladimir Putin is chosen president in the elections held on March 20, 2000.
Putin has become a key player in Russian economic growth in recent decades. Likewise, the country regained the geopolitical role it had in the Soviet era.
On the other hand, the invasion of Ukraine with the annexation of Crimea, the lack of respect for civil rights and the accusations of interference in Western politics are the target of criticism in the West.
Putin's government
In 2000, Russia was an unimportant character on the international stage. In 2018, an indispensable actor. In these eighteen years he was at the head of the Russian government Vladimir Putin.
Putin was first elected in 2000 and remained in power until 2008. As Russian legislation barred reelection, he helped his ally Dmitry Medvev win the 2008 elections and Putin was nominated for Prime Minister.
In 2012, Putin emerges victorious again from the election for president. In 2018, he runs again in the presidential election and is re-elected with 76% of the vote.
Style
Vladimir Putin projected in his campaign the image of sportsman, hunter and simple man. Photos of him hunting or playing sports went around the world. Therefore, the president is the constant target of jokes and Internet memes that satirize his way of life.
He also approached Russian Orthodox Church leaders to secure the support of more conservative voters. Incidentally, the president has no problem assuming he is a devout Orthodox Catholic.
Economy
To regain Russia's prestige he needed to find ways to put pressure on the West again and recover the state's coffers.
The key to these two objectives would be the oil and gas present in large quantities on Russian soil. After all, 30% of the gas consumed by Europe comes from Russia.
So one of his first measures is to nationalize the oil companies that had been privatized during the 90's. Putin also benefited directly from the increase in the price of oil and thus was able to balance the state budget.
With the new trade agreements, Putin uses the profit of this industry to multiply military expenses by five and thus restore the prestige of the Armed Forces.
Foreign Relations
The former Soviet republics still resent Russia's power when they think about following paths that would lead them to have more contact with the West.
Thus, in 2008, Russia invaded Georgia when it was trying to get closer to NATO.
In 2014, Russia invades Ukraine when it tries to apply for the European Union. The objective was to annex Crimea, a region rich in natural gas, and thus guarantee the supply of energy to Europe.
At the time, many feared that there would be an armed conflict between Europe and Russia, but the issue was resolved thanks to the intervention of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
This latest military incursion has earned Russia international economic and political sanctions on the country as its expulsion from the G7 - Group of Seven.
Syria
Putin enters the War in Syria, alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in a position contrary to the United States.
Aid included aerial bombardment, warships, and troops who fought alongside the Syrian Army against rebels and members of extremist groups.
To demonstrate its power to the world, Russia uses its veto power at the UN. From 2000 to 2016, the country vetoes 12 proposals at the United Nations while the US vetoes it 11 times.
Putin Quotes
- "Terrorism has no nationality or religion".
- "Fifty years ago, the streets of Leningrad taught me one thing:if fighting is inevitable, you must strike first. Therefore, it is better for us to fight them there, as I said, than to wait here. , I assure you."
- "I want to believe that there is no madman on Earth who decides to use nuclear weapons".
- "I want to tell you that there is no need to be afraid of Russia. The world has changed so much that realistic people cannot imagine a large-scale military conflict nowadays. We have a lot of other things to do. , I assure you."
Curiosities
- In September 2013, Putin declared that Russia should not follow the example of European countries that legalized gay marriage.
- His fortune is estimated to be 46 billion euros.
- He is 1.67m tall and is a Beatles fan. His favorite song by the group is "Yesterday".
- After Stalin, Vladimir Putin is Russia's longest-serving leader.
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- USSR
- Community of Independent States (CIS)
- Orthodox Church