Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin(born 1952) is a Russian statesman and politician, current President of the Russian Federation and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation since May 7, 2012.

Citizens of Russia supported Putin's candidacy for the highest state post 4 times. He and his team, despite criticism from the opposition, have been able to have support among the population for almost two decades. And this is certainly no coincidence.

Maria Ivanovna gave birth to three sons, two of whom (Victor and Albert) died during the war years. Thus, only Vladimir was a support for his parents, who were very proud of him.

The family lived in a common communal apartment for that time, enduring various inconveniences associated with post-war problems.

Vladimir Vladimirovich shared with journalists that as a child he watched films about intelligence officers all the time, and dreamed of working in state structures of this type. In addition, he was very attracted to the sea and air elements.

Until 1965, Putin managed to graduate from high school and get a diploma from a special school with a chemical bias. Then followed the Faculty of Law of the Leningrad University. Zhdanov. The knowledge that he will receive there will be very useful to him in his biography.

He, like many of his peers, was patriotically brought up, therefore, becoming a student, he immediately joined the ranks of the CPSU. In the same period of time, he managed to get acquainted with the associate professor of Leningrad State University - Anatoly Sobchak, father.

Putin's career in the KGB

Having received his diploma in 1975, Vladimir Putin began working for the KGB. The service was given to him easily, and soon he received the rank of senior lieutenant of justice. In subsequent years, he served as a counterintelligence officer in the Leningrad Investigation Department.

In 1984, he managed to rise to the rank of Major of Justice. For good professional skills and intelligence, he was sent to study at the KGB Institute through foreign intelligence.

Thanks to his excellent professional skills and perfect command of the German language, Vladimir Putin was sent by the leadership to serve in the GDR.

Here you can see one interesting fact of the biography. The fact is that Putin is fluent in German, and another political long-liver in Europe, speaks excellent. Thus, when they meet, they can speak any language, understanding each other without interpreters.

Putin in the GDR

His service took place in Dresden in the period 1985-1990. By this time he was already in the rank of lieutenant colonel. He excelled at his job and had good relationships with both subordinates and management.

In 1989, Putin was awarded the medal "For Merit to the National People's Army of the GDR."

The size of the brief biography does not allow to highlight all the moments that took place in Putin's life when he served in the GDR.

Ultimately, he returned home and continued to work in the Leningrad department of the KGB.

Vladimir Putin in the administration of St. Petersburg

After many years of service in the KGB, Putin becomes an assistant to the rector of Leningrad State University. Zhdanov. He himself was glad that he had the opportunity to work in and be close to people close to him. Then he set himself the goal of writing a PhD thesis.

At the new workplace, Vladimir Vladimirovich showed himself well and gained a reputation as a responsible and reliable worker.

This was noticed by Sobchak himself, who will invite him to become his adviser when he takes the chair of the mayor of St. Petersburg. This proposal played one of the key roles in Putin's biography.

Starting to cooperate with Sobchak, the future president resigned from the KGB. His political career developed rapidly, as he excelled in any duties that were assigned to him.

Soon, Vladimir Putin became the head of the regional branch of the NDR party.

In 1992, they began to suspect him of fraud regarding the supply of St. Petersburg. Putin denied his guilt, emphasizing that no investigation was carried out by the commission, despite the fact that there was simply no evidence.

According to many analysts, this scandal was created artificially. The fact is that already then some people wanted to remove a young and principled official from Sobchak.

Political biography in Moscow

For 3 years, Putin was able to rise to the rank of Secretary of the Security Council. In 1996, he became Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the President of Russia.

In 1997, he was appointed Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration.

In 1998, his childhood dream came true. He headed the FSB and carried out a number of major reforms to improve the activities of this organization.

Vladimir Putin - Director of the FSB, 1998

In 2000, Putin became president and was re-elected in 2004. According to the Constitution, he could not be the head of the Russian Federation for the third time in a row, so in 2008 he took the place of chairman of the government of the Russian Federation, and was elected president.

An interesting fact is that Putin, speaking about, gave a very accurate description of our past history:

“Whoever does not regret the collapse of the USSR has no heart. And whoever wants to restore it to its former form has no head.”

March 4, 2012 Putin becomes president for the 3rd time. In those elections, he was supported by two-thirds of the population of the state.

This period became for him the most eventful and, perhaps, the most historically important. After all, it was during these years that Crimea was annexed to Russia, preparations for and victory at the Olympics in, participation in military operations in, deterioration of relations with, the conflict in the Donbass, etc.

Despite the many internal problems that arose, and the ambiguous attitude from foreign politicians, Putin managed to get even more support from his citizens.

According to the results of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin takes first place in the ranking of the most influential people in the world according to the American Forbes magazine.

According to VTsIOM, as of autumn 2015, Putin's actions were supported by almost 90% of the population.

On March 18, 2018, he was elected President of the Russian Federation for the fourth term, receiving a record 76.69% of the vote.

Personal life

In terms of personal life, Putin's biography is quite simple. He met his wife Lyudmila in 1980, and 3 years later the couple got married.

Soon their daughter Masha was born, and then Katya. It should be noted that Putin is categorically against the fact that at least some information about his relatives leaks into the media. According to him, he wants the family to live a full life, and not be dependent on his political activities.

Vladimir Putin with his wife Lyudmila

In the summer of 2013, Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin decided to divorce. This topic has become one of the most discussed in the media and on television. Repeatedly, journalists asked the president about the reasons for the divorce, as well as what he was going to do next.

In most cases, Putin was ironic about this without giving any clear comments. It is widely believed on the Internet that the breakup of the family occurred due to his relationship with Alina Kabaeva, although there is no real evidence for this.

Hobbies

Vladimir Putin throughout his biography was directly related to sports. He skis expertly, plays and is interested in different types of martial arts.

Even in his youth, he became the champion of Leningrad in judo, and in 2013 he was awarded the 9th dan in taekwondo. Periodically, he performs in demonstration fights with different opponents.

It is also reliably known that Putin is very fond of animals. Three, a dwarf horse and even a goat live in his residence.

The politician likes to spend his time fishing. In 2018, a sensational video was published with his participation, where he was engaged in spearfishing.

His excellent physical form is recognized even by ill-wishers.

As a child, little Volodya read works, and in his youth he was especially fond of creativity.

Vladimir Putin listens to all sorts of music, but his favorite band is Lyube. He also enjoys attending the opera and periodically plays the piano. On this musical instrument, the politician performed several compositions for the audience several times.

Putin is fluent in German, and although his is not bad, it is still not good enough.

Putin today

In the winter of 2017, it became known that Vladimir Putin would again run for the presidency. Interestingly, this time he was nominated not from any particular party, but as an independent candidate.

On March 18, 2018, Putin was elected President of the Russian Federation for a fourth term, winning a landslide victory in the elections. More than 76% of citizens voted for him, which in itself is an unprecedented case.

After the meeting on July 16, 2018, the president said the following about Putin: "... he is very, very strong".

In addition to his direct duties, Putin often gives interviews to foreign journalists, skillfully answering the most tricky and uncomfortable questions. It is spoken and written about every day all over the world.

Someone admires and idolizes him, equating him to the greatest rulers of all time and peoples, while someone, on the contrary, hates him fiercely. One way or another, but for the second decade Putin remains one of the key and most significant figures on the planet.

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The distant and last year of the 20th century was a turning point in the history of our country. A number of events took place that year that determined the course of Russian history in the first two decades of the 21st century. The year 1999 preceded the beginning of the first presidential term of V.V. Putin and was full of fatal and terrible events. The beginning of the second aggressive election campaign before the elections on December 19 to the State Duma, terrorist attacks in Moscow and Volgodonsk, attacks by Basaev and Khattab gangs on villages in Dagestan, criminal showdowns, the war in Serbia, etc. That year, the crisis of political power put the country on the brink of disaster. Since what year has Putin been president and how did his election affect the history of our country in the 21st century?

Crisis of political power

The complete failure of economic reforms, the consequences of the devaluation of the national currency that began a year earlier, and many other circumstances made B. Yeltsin an extremely unpopular figure in the eyes of the vast majority of voters. No political advertising and juggling could ensure the victory of B.N. Yeltsin in the upcoming elections of 2000, as happened in 1996. The campaign to impeach the president, which unfolded in the State Duma, threatened to turn into prosecution and punishment of those responsible for the plunder of the country - B.N. Yeltsin and the people behind him. The leading opposition parties - "Fatherland - All Russia" and the Communists - directly blamed the unsuccessful reforms and plunder of the country on the family of President B.N. Yeltsin and the oligarchs. Slogans and statements of this nature, coming from the opposition, found wide support among ordinary voters and were a real threat to the ruling Yeltsin elite.

The Phenomenon of Putin's Russia

Years Russian history begins a more consistent and progressive development, acquires some certainty and stability, is characterized by a number of economic and political achievements. It can be called a phenomenon of Putin's Russia, but before the March 2000 elections, no definite historical paradigm existed. hides a lot of alternative historical options, which were all discarded in the elections to the State Duma in December 1999 and in the presidential elections in 2000. All but one.

Since what year did Putin become the president of Russia legally

V.V. Putin won on March 26, 2000, with nearly 53% of the vote. Since what year has Putin been president of the Russian Federation? The first term began on May 7, the date of the inauguration. Putin's closest competitor in these elections was G. Zyuganov, who received much fewer votes - 29.2%. But at the time of the March elections, V.V. Putin has already served as acting president, so 2000 is not the date that should be considered the beginning of his presidency.

Since what year has Putin been president of the Russian Federation? In fact, V.V. Putin began to fully perform presidential functions earlier, namely from December 31, 1999, when he was appointed to this position by the previous Russian President B.N. Yeltsin. It was on the last day of the outgoing 1999 that V.V. Putin received from the hands of B.N. Yeltsin the entire spectrum of presidential powers. In the morning, at 11 o'clock, in the presence of the patriarch and in a solemn atmosphere, the first president of Russia transferred presidential powers to V.V. Putin. The new president was also given all the attributes of state power, including the "nuclear briefcase". The first decree of the President was a document guaranteeing the immunity of B.N. Yeltsin and members of his family, as well as promising not to prosecute these people in court. Since what year has Putin been president for the first time? The beginning of the first presidential term should be considered from May 7, 2000, when the inauguration took place.

Since what year did Putin become president and what preceded this

The appointment of V.V. Putin to the highest position in the country was preceded by a series of dramatic events. The richest people who stood behind B.N. Yeltsin and actively using influence on the highest power in the country for the sake of even greater personal enrichment, a new politician was needed who could lead the country, maintain preferences in power for the former elite and give them security guarantees. One of these influential people was B.A. Berezovsky, who was the actual owner of the first TV channel. Thanks to the aggressive election campaign that took place in the fall of 1999 before the elections to the Duma, through the efforts of these people, they managed to gain enough votes to form one of the largest factions "Unity" ("Bear"), which was to become the power base of the new president V.V. Putin, who was at that time the chairman of the government. The appointment of V.V. Putin to the post of acting president of the country was preceded by a very difficult election campaign aimed at winning the rating of both the future president and the parliamentary majority in the upcoming elections.

Features of the election campaign of the second president of Russia in 1999-2000

The main emphasis in this election campaign was placed on the war in Chechnya, the fight against terrorism and restoring order in the country. The head of the FSB, V.V., was chosen as the main character. Putin, who was appointed Prime Minister in August 1999. In those days, the powers of the chairman of the government were actively used to achieve success in an independent political career. Prime Minister Primakov, dismissed in May 1999, headed a political party with Luzhkov, which became a real threat to the ruling elite in the run-up to the December elections. The political significance of the figure of the chairman of the government increased sharply against the background of the losing popularity of President B.N. Yeltsin.

Further actions aimed at revealing a positive image of the new Russia were associated with overcoming the threats of terrorism and the war in Chechnya. Channel One B.A. Berezovsky actively criticized both the Luzhkov-Primakov party and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. This time was remembered by all citizens of Russia for Friday performances on Channel One by the famous TV presenter Dorenko. A fight against Chechen terrorism was launched across the country, and military operations began in Chechnya itself, the successes of which could be interpreted through the media, controlled by the authorities, as victorious. The charismatic image of the new Russian politician V.V. From the very beginning, Putin began to be perceived as an image of an uncompromising fighter for state interests, capable of protecting the country.

When Putin actually came to power

Since what year has Putin been president in fact? If in 2000 the Putin era began officially, based on the will of the people, then the actual presidency of Putin began a little earlier. It can be considered that it began with the decree of the first Russian President B.N. Yeltsin on the appointment of V.V. Putin to the post of interim in late 1999. And, perhaps, it is worth considering that his presidency began even earlier - from work as chairman of the government since August 1999, when V.V. Putin concentrated an extremely large amount of power and began to form the features of modern Russia, which later historians will call Putin's?

Popular support is the key to the success of presidential power

From what year did Putin become president of Russia, from such a year should the time of the beginning of a new era be counted. Many features of the reign of the second president of our country have manifested themselves since 1999, when the country approached a historical crossroads and was actually on the verge of collapse, complete anarchy and civil war. Historical realities forced V.V. Putin to act tough, uncompromisingly, at the same time he had to not lose popularity with Russian voters, “be in the frame”, provide evidence of real deeds and achievements, speak vividly and figuratively, understanding that only the support of the majority is the key to the success of all his affairs and beginnings.

The first steps of the new leader of the country

Since what year has Putin been president and a new politician? It is possible that in 1999 the history of Russia had many alternative paths of development, but since 2000 there have been no alternatives. V.V. Putin did not leave a single chance to influence the history of the country to very many people who had previously been very influential. In that year, two Russian oligarchs lost their influence at once - V. Gusinsky and B. Berezovsky. The course taken by the new president to fight the oligarchs in 2000 was continued in the future, but the methods of struggle that were applied in the first year of V.V. Putin, remained approximately the same. V. Gusinsky controlled his own NTV channel and supported the Luzhkov-Primakov party "Fatherland - All Russia" in the parliamentary election race. Critics viewed the change in NTV leadership as a direct fight against dissent.

What were the true and preferences of the new president

An interesting tactical move, which reveals a little the true political predilections of the new president. To create a parliamentary coalition of the majority, the party V.V. Putin's "Bear" teamed up with the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - their ideological opponents. Luzhkov's party, backed by Gusinsky, Yabloko and other political forces, which are now called the fifth column, did not then gain control over any of the committees in the State Duma. Behind the president's rhetoric about commitment to the ideas of the free market, there has always been a determination to rigorously adjust economic processes, if necessary.

The fate of political opponents

From what year Putin is the president of Russia, from such a time comes the decline of the era of the Yeltsin oligarchs. In June 2000, in exchange for freedom and the opportunity to go abroad, V. Gusinsky “voluntarily” transferred his property and the media belonging to him to those businessmen who supported the new president in all elections. B. Berezovsky also left the country, having resigned as a deputy, under the threat of legal prosecution for fraud, which he abused during the reign of B. Yeltsin. The ORT channel has ceased to be dependent on the previous owner. Removing the big oligarchs from politics and depriving them of the opportunity to support opposition movements to the existing government became an important guarantee of the success of such a long reign of the second president of Russia. The oligarchs were losing their influence one by one, and the power of the new president continued to strengthen. In 2004, the year Putin became president for the second time, the proceedings in the Yukos case were in full swing, the main person involved - the oligarch Khodorkovsky - was in custody, and the tactics of dealing with objectionable oligarchs remained the same.

The struggle for the country or the struggle for power

It is difficult to say to what extent the methods of dealing with the oligarchs who left the political scene were legal, but the popular support of V.V. Putin from this did not decrease at all. The fighting in the Chechen Republic turned into losses even greater than in the previous military campaign, and the course of military operations was not always brilliant, but everyone was well aware that the interests of the country were at stake. Voters forgave the second president for many controversial decisions, and in subsequent years of V.V. Putin, because they believed that their expediency was ultimately dictated by the interests of the state and the common good. Since what year has Putin been president 2 times? This happened in 2004, when the citizens of Russia again supported the second president in the elections. Both in 2004 and in 2012, after another victory in the presidential elections, and in 2014, when tragic events took place in Ukraine, the popularity of the second president continues to be out of competition.

High ranking question

Propaganda played an important role in this matter. Even in the first presidential race, V.V. Putin relied on a bright shot that creates a positive image of a person who is unable to put his personal and selfish interests above the interests of the whole society. Fighter flight, skiing, participation in judo sparring, military bearing - all these elements of the image of V.V. Putin clearly entered the minds of most people from his first days in power. In what way could Vladimir Vladimirovich change when he became a public figure from the same year, from what year Putin became president? The last term of V.V. Putin slightly changed the details of the image, but the logic of the political decisions of the second president as a whole remains the same.

Who is Mr. Putin - this was the first question of the world community, when a previously unknown person became the head of one of the largest and most influential states. Now every word uttered by the president is the subject of discussion by compatriots. And among foreigners, there is a growing proportion of those who believe that Russia with Putin is the only way to maintain the balance of power on the planet.

Childhood and youth

The statesman was born on October 7, 1952 in a family of factory workers. Father Vladimir Spiridonovich fought in the NKVD sabotage detachment during the Great Patriotic War, defended Leningrad. Mom Maria Ivanovna worked at the factory, and after that - as a nurse in a local hospital. Vladimir Vladimirovich was a late child. Elder brother Albert died before the war. The other one, Viktor, was taken from his parents to be evacuated. Only in 2014, Putin was shown archival records about the burial place of a boy who died of diphtheria.

The future head of state studied at an ordinary eight-year school, and received a certificate of secondary education at a special school with a chemical bias. At the age of 11, Vladimir became interested in martial arts and enrolled in the sambo and judo sections. Among his sporting achievements are the honorary 9th dan in the Korean martial art of taekwondo and the 8th dan of Kyokushin.

Vladimir Putin in his youth

Driven by a childhood dream of a career as an intelligence officer, Putin came to the KGB reception, but there he was advised to get a liberal arts education. But after graduating from the law faculty of Leningrad State University, the security authorities themselves requested the guy to join them.

In his student years, the young man met with, who taught economic law. The future mayor of St. Petersburg later played an important role in the biography of Vladimir Vladimirovich.

Career and politics

At the KGB of the USSR, Putin was trained in the unit, now called the School of Foreign Intelligence, and in the training courses for operational personnel. In 1985, the future head of Russia was seconded to Dresden under cover - as director of the House of Friendship of the GDR-USSR. There he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, received the medal "For Merit" from the National People's Army of the GDR.

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Returning to his homeland, Vladimir refused to continue serving in the central apparatus of foreign intelligence in the capital, worked in the Leningrad branch of the KGB, assistant to the rector of the Leningrad State University for international affairs, and in 1991 filed a letter of resignation.

On the recommendation of the rector, Sobchak took Putin to his adviser. In the mayor's office of now St. Petersburg, the political career of Vladimir Vladimirovich began. He headed the Foreign Relations Committee, was the first deputy chairman of the city government.

The team of the future Russian head included,. He worked in the Committee for Economic Development. These people remain faithful associates of Putin, moved with him to the federal government, held responsible positions in the presidential administration and the management of state companies.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev

In the summer of 1996, Anatoly Sobchak lost the gubernatorial election. The leader of the Russian Federation said that, left out of work, he thought about becoming a taxi driver, he had to feed two children. However, an offer was made to "deal with legal issues in Moscow" as deputy to Pavel Borodin, the presidential affairs manager.

In March 1997, Vladimir Vladimirovich, at the suggestion of Valentin Yumashev, was appointed head of the Main Control Department - deputy head of the presidential administration. The next step on the career ladder was the position of director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, combined with the duties of Secretary of the Security Council. In 2020, a new position of Deputy Chairman was created in this advisory body.

On New Year's Eve 2000, the Russians received an unexpected gift: they decided to transfer power to Putin, presenting him in a festive televised address to the people of the country as the official successor. Soon he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, and then the head of the Cabinet of Ministers.

In the first months in his new capacity, against the background of the tragic events in Dagestan, Buynaksk and Volgodonsk, Vladimir Vladimirovich acted as a symbol of the unification of citizens, hope for stability and prospects for the future. Already in March, he won his first presidential election.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Boris Yeltsin

The young leader began to undertake cardinal reforms that favorably affected the economic situation. The ratings of popularity and recognition among the population have grown significantly, which allowed Putin to lead the country during the second presidential term. According to the results of the elections in 2004, the incumbent head won in the first round and bypassed his competitors in the struggle for the highest post by a significant margin.

During the years of ruling the country, the President of the Russian Federation carried out major constitutional and political reforms, improved legislation, reorganized the judicial and law enforcement systems, ratified international acts that allow Russia to integrate more deeply into the international space.

According to many foreign experts, Vladimir Vladimirovich inherited a very difficult legacy in the form of a state that was teetering on the brink and was ready to fall into the abyss. The leaders of the main opponent country - the United States -, despite all the disagreements, considered and still consider the Russian colleague to be a thoughtful, frank person, with whom it is better to be friends.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump

Another merit of Putin is called his openness to the people. In 2001, for the first time, the Direct Line program went on the air, in which the inhabitants of the country address pressing issues directly to the president. It just so happened that in Russia even the tsars were reputed to be the main fighters against injustice. Over the centuries, little has changed in human psychology. Now the president is the final authority in resolving problems.

It is worth noting that this scheme works. A portal of public initiatives has even been created on the Internet, accumulating petitions addressed to the head of state. When a proposal receives a certain number of votes, it is submitted to the authorities for consideration.

Every year, media representatives look forward to another event with the participation of Vladimir Putin - a press conference. Here the results of the work are summed up, the secrets of significant events are revealed within the limits of what is permitted, answers to questions, including those about personal life, are heard. In 2015, journalists asked if the president had doubles and presented a certain photo. In response, they heard that there was no need for replacement clones.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Elizabeth II

After Putin's second presidential term, critics of his activities claimed that he would find a way to stay at the head of Russian power even further. However, Vladimir Vladimirovich decided not to go against the constitution, which does not provide for the possibility of governing the country by one president for more than two terms in a row, and transferred powers to his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, who was elected by the Russians as the new leader of the country in 2008. At the same time, Putin took the post of Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and became the head of the United Russia party.

In 2011, Dmitry Medvedev officially nominated Putin for the post of head of state. A year later, Vladimir Vladimirovich received congratulations on his convincing victory in the race for the presidency - 63.6% of the vote. After taking office, he offered Medvedev the post of prime minister.

The third presidential term of Vladimir Vladimirovich began with the signing of a series of May 2012 decrees. The most resonant changes in the country were the events of 2014, when Putin supported Crimea, which asked for help, due to the refusal of the local population to accept the legitimacy of the new government after the coup d'état in Ukraine.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Sergei Shoigu

Against the backdrop of the unfolding events, the EU and the governments of a number of other countries that blamed Russia for the political crisis and the ensuing military conflict in Ukraine adopted sanctions against the Russian Federation, which naturally had a negative impact on the economies of both sides.

In 2015, the documentary film "President" was released, which tells about the 15 years that Putin spent in power. The project received a positive assessment of the press secretary, and in the world caused a mixed reaction. Some media called him an attempt to justify himself in the eyes of the world community, others called him a hopeful image of a leader.

The "film career" of the head of state is not limited to this tape: Vladimir Vladimirovich often becomes the hero of the video works of people's directors. The most memorable of them is the clip "Vladimir Putin is well done!" to a song of praise about the president, which quickly went viral.

Personal life

The future president met his wife in his youth thanks to a friend. He called Vladimir to a concert, said that he invited his girlfriend, who came not alone, but with a friend. In 1983, Shkrebneva and Putin got married. In marriage, daughters Maria and were born, named after grandmothers.

Maria, according to rumors, for security reasons, appeared in places of study and work as Vorontsova. Having married a Dutchman, she became Faassen.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin and Lyudmila Putina

Ekaterina, according to the media, bears the surname Tikhonov, and also for the purpose of conspiracy, is engaged in science: she manages the National Intellectual Development Foundation. The latter is promoting the Technological Valley of Moscow State University project, an analogue of Skolkovo. She divorced her husband, a businessman, which, again, no one officially confirms.

According to the father, the children live in Moscow, have got their own families and have already managed to give grandchildren. Putin made it clear that he would never divulge exact information about loved ones. It goes without saying that he does not have an official Instagram either.

The role of the first lady is not an easy one, but Lyudmila was not inferior to the wives of other heads of state, and sometimes, thanks to her knowledge of German and French, she even stood out among them.

Ironically, the news of the couple's separation was also heard in the theater. In 2013, during the intermission of the performance, Vladimir Vladimirovich made a sensational statement about a "civilized divorce." The official reason is the full employment of the Russian president at work, as a result of which the spouses practically did not see each other.

"President of Russia"

After Putin's divorce from his wife, the Internet was filled with rumors about his affair with a gymnast, an Olympic champion. The couple allegedly have two sons. The press service of the head of state made a statement that "the Russians elected the president, not the peasant," and strongly recommended discussing the personality of Vladimir Vladimirovich only in a political vein.

Despite the completely justified secrecy of the statesman, several interesting facts are known about his passions and hobbies. For example, Vladimir Vladimirovich is an avid dog owner. The first Labrador puppy, the famous Connie, nicknamed the Privy Councilor and present at official events, was presented. Then a Bulgarian Shepherd Dog and an Akita Inu lived in the residence.

And Yegor Stroev, the king of Jordan, the leaders of Pakistan and Turkmenistan, the leaders of the regions gave horses. In the stable there are representatives of the precious Arabian and Akhal-Teke breeds, as well as the Falabella pony.

Vladimir Putin now

In January 2020, Vladimir Putin opened a new page in the history of Russian statehood. In his address to the Federal Assembly, the president voiced proposals for constitutional changes leading to a strengthening of the role of parliament. The requirements for the candidacy of the head of state and senior officials are becoming tougher.

Embed from Getty Images Vladimir Putin in 2020

The system of wages, social benefits, provision of medicines, environmental monitoring will undergo changes. Priority is given to domestic law over international law, and the powers of local self-government are expanded.

Immediately after his speech, the government resigned. Former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has been offered a specially created post of Deputy Secretary of the Security Council. The head of the Cabinet of Ministers approved a doctor of economic sciences.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin - President of the Russian Federation (2000-2008, 2012 - present), formerly Director of the FSB of Russia (1998-1999).

Childhood and family

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born in 1952 in Leningrad. “I come from a simple family, and I lived this life for a very long time, almost my entire conscious life. I lived like an ordinary normal person, and I always have this connection, ”Putin recalled.

Vladimir Putin's father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, served in the submarine fleet from 1933 to 1934. In June 1941 he was called to the front. Defending the Nevsky Piglet, Vladimir Spiridonovich was seriously wounded in the leg. After the war, he worked as a foreman at the Yegorov factory.

Mom - Maria Ivanovna Shelomova - survived the blockade, then also worked at the factory.

Vladimir Putin's grandfather was a cook, his dishes were served at the table of the highest state and party officials, including Stalin and Lenin.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is the third son in the family. Two of his older brothers died in childhood: brother Victor - passed away before the war, Albert died in the blockade.

The Putins lived in a communal apartment without amenities in Baskov Lane. Already after Vladimir Vladimirovich became president, he shared that as a child he liked to watch Soviet films about intelligence officers and dreamed of working in state authorities.

"Even before I graduated from school, I had a desire to work in intelligence. True, I soon wanted to become a sailor. But then again a scout ..

Until 1965, Vladimir Putin studied at an eight-year school, then he graduated from a secondary special school with a chemical bias, then there was the law faculty of the Leningrad State University. Zhdanov (now St. Petersburg State University). In his student years, he joined the CPSU. As a student, Vladimir Vladimirovich met Anatoly Sobchak, who then held the position of associate professor at Leningrad State University.

KGB

In 1975, after receiving his diploma, Vladimir Putin was sent to serve in the State Security Committee. In the same year, he received the rank of senior lieutenant of justice in the system of territorial bodies of the KGB of the USSR, having completed training courses for operational personnel.

In 1977, Vladimir Putin served in the counterintelligence line in the investigative department of the KGB of the Leningrad Region. In 1979, after completing retraining courses in Moscow, he returned to his native city.

In 1984, with the rank of Major of Justice, Putin was seconded to study at the Institute of the KGB of the USSR with a degree in Foreign Intelligence. There, Vladimir Vladimirovich continued to study the German language and was trained for service in the GDR.

GDR

From 1985 to 1990 Putin worked in the GDR. He served in Dresden, his cover was the post of director of the Dresden Friendship House of the USSR-GDR. After years of service, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and the position to senior assistant to the head of the department.

In 1989, Vladimir Vladimirovich was awarded the bronze medal "For Merit to the National People's Army of the GDR".

Putin without a tie

After completing his business trip abroad, Vladimir Putin continued his service in the Leningrad department of the KGB, refusing to transfer to the central apparatus of foreign intelligence of the KGB of the USSR in Moscow.

Petersburg Administration

The next stage in the life of Vladimir Putin was work at the Leningrad State University. Zhdanov, where he served as Assistant Rector for International Affairs.

“I gladly went “under the roof” of the Leningrad State University in order to write a Ph.D., see how it was and what, and maybe stay to work at Leningrad State University. So, in the 1990s, I became an assistant to the rector of the university for international relations, ”he recalled.

Putin was recommended to Anatoly Sobchak as a good worker, and in 1990 the future president of the country became an adviser to the mayor of St. Petersburg. With the transition to a new job, Putin filed a report for dismissal from the KGB of the USSR.

At the new place, Putin was entrusted with the post of chairman of the foreign relations committee of the administration of St. Petersburg, in 1994 Vladimir Vladimirovich was appointed first deputy chairman of the government of St. Petersburg, retaining his previous position. A year later, he stood at the helm of the regional branch of the NDR party.

Vladimir Putin about Ukraine

In 1992, a group of Lensoviet deputies led by Yuri Gladkov and Maria Salie brought charges against Putin of fraud in the program of supplying St. Petersburg with food in exchange for raw materials. Putin argued that the Salie commission did not actually conduct any investigation, and there was no one to prosecute in a criminal order and there was nothing for it. The scandal was fomented in order for Sobchak to fire Putin.

Moving to Moscow

In three years, Putin has risen from Deputy Director for Presidential Affairs to Secretary of the Security Council. In 1996, after the failure of Sobchak in the gubernatorial elections, Vladimir Vladimirovich was invited to Moscow to the post of Deputy Chief of the President of the Russian Federation. Putin oversaw the legal department and management of Russia's foreign property.

“I can’t say that I didn’t love Moscow. I just loved Peter more. But Moscow, quite obviously, is a European city,” Putin said of his transfer.

In the spring of 1997, Vladimir Putin was appointed Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, replacing Alexei Kudrin.

In the summer of 1998, he headed the FSB of Russia, and in the autumn he successfully reorganized the structure. Six months later, Vladimir Putin took the post of Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation while maintaining his position in the FSB.

On May 8, 2008, Vladimir Putin was approved for the post of Prime Minister of Russia; on May 12, he already announced the composition of the new government. In November 2010, Putin was on the 4th place in the list of the most influential people on the planet according to Forbes magazine.

On September 24, 2011, Putin agreed to run for president of Russia. Then, at the congress of the party "United Russia", his words caused a standing ovation. By the way, already in November 2011, Vladimir Vladimirovich took second place in the Forbes rating.

In the presidential elections on March 4, 2012, Putin won in the first round, gaining 63.6% of the vote; on May 7, he took office as head of state for the third time.

Difficult historical events fell on the third presidential term of Vladimir Putin. Russia's position on the Ukrainian crisis and the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, the victorious performance of Russian athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, the successful military operation in Syria - all this could not but affect the rating of the country's first person. Poll data published in October 2015 by VTsIOM show that 89.9% of Russians approve of Vladimir Putin's actions.

Vladimir Putin about the Sochi 2014 Olympics

Personal life of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich met his future wife Lyudmila in 1980, and on July 28, 1983 they got married. Two years before leaving for Germany, their first daughter, Maria, was born, and a year later, in one of the maternity hospitals in Dresden, the second, Catherine, was born. Both girls graduated from St. Petersburg State University. According to unofficial data, on August 15, 2012, a son was born to Mary. The privacy of Putin's daughters is guarded very carefully.

On June 6, 2013, in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel, Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin announced the divorce by mutual decision. This information was discussed in the media for quite a long time. The reasons for the divorce were allegedly existing relations between Vladimir Vladimirovich and

He listens with pleasure to the songs of Nikolai Rastorguev and the Lyube group, Grigory Leps, gypsy music.

Fluent in German and English.

Vladimir Putin wears a watch only on his right hand. Why? “So the crown does not rub my brush, that's the whole secret,” the president revealed, which is of interest to many.

The president has many pets, almost all of which are gifts from influential politicians. Vladimir Vladimirovich has a Bulgarian shepherd dog Buffy (a gift from the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov), Akita Inu Yume (a gift from the Governor of Akita Prefecture Norihisa Satake), as well as a goat named Skazka (a gift from Yuri Luzhkov) and a pygmy horse Vadik (a gift from the President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev) . Previously, the President's favorite dog was a black Labrador named Connie, who passed away in 2014.

Vladimir Putin now

In December 2017, during a visit to the GAZ plant, Vladimir Putin announced his fourth presidential nomination. In order to maintain the image of the people's candidate, the incumbent president refused to support United Russia and submitted documents to the CEC as an independent candidate. Interestingly, the date of the presidential election - March 18, 2018 - coincided with the day Crimea was annexed to Russia.

As a result of the elections, Vladimir Putin won with 76.69% of the vote. The presidential inauguration took place on May 7. The president arrived at the ceremony in a Cortege limousine with armored glass, which cost 200,000 rubles. Putin's inauguration was attended by 5,000 people. Vladimir Vladimirovich took the oath and became the head of Russia for the 4th time.

As of early 2016, he 63 years old.

Childhood and youthful photos of Putin:

Putin biography

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born October 7, 1952, Leningrad) is a Russian statesman and politician, President of the Russian Federation (since May 7, 2012).

Childhood and youth of Putin

Born October 7, 1952 in Leningrad. According to his own answer during the census, Russian by nationality. Putin's father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin (February 23, 1911 - August 2, 1999) - a participant in the Great Patriotic War (a soldier of the 330th Infantry Regiment of the 86th Division of the Red Army, fought defending the Nevsky Piglet, was seriously wounded in the shin in November 1941. ), before the war he served in the submarine fleet, after the war he was a master at the plant. Egorova. Mother, Maria Ivanovna Shelomova (1911-1998), also worked at the plant, survived the siege of Leningrad. Grandfather, Spiridon Ivanovich Putin, was a famous cook who cooked for the highest party and government officials; he had to cook for Lenin and Stalin.

The ancestors of V. V. Putin on the paternal and maternal lines (Putins, Shelomovs, Chursanovs, Buyanovs, Fomins and others) for at least 300 years were peasants of the Tver district. The earliest known ancestor of V.V. Putin was mentioned in 1627/1628 in the scribe book of the Tver district. This is Yakov Nikitin - the bean of the village of Borodino, the parish of the village of Turginovo, the estate of the boyar Ivan Nikitich Romanov, uncle of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.

Vladimir was the third son in the family - he had two older brothers who were born and died before his birth: Victor (1940-1942) and Albert (died before the Great Patriotic War). Victor died of diphtheria during the siege of Leningrad and was buried at the Piskarevsky cemetery.

The Putin family lived in a communal apartment without any amenities in Baskov Lane (house 12) in Leningrad, Putin lived in this apartment until he worked in the KGB of the USSR. Having already become president, Putin said that from childhood he was fond of Soviet films about intelligence officers and dreamed of working in state security agencies. He spoke with gratitude about the opportunities for formation and development that the Soviet government provided to the young man in those years.

In 1960-1965, Vladimir Putin studied at eight-year school No. 193. After that, he entered secondary school No. 281 (a special school with a chemical bias based on the Institute of Technology), from which he graduated in 1970.

In 1970-1975 he studied at the international department of the law faculty of the Leningrad State University (LSU). At Leningrad State University he joined the CPSU. He did not leave this party, banned in 1991. During his studies, he first met Anatoly Sobchak, at that time an associate professor at Leningrad State University. The theme of the diploma is “The principle of the most favored nation” (supervisor L. N. Galenskaya, Department of International Law).

Putin's service in the KGB

Photo from the personal file of a KGB officer

In 1975 he graduated from the Faculty of Law of Leningrad State University. According to the distribution, he was sent to work in the State Security Committee. In 1975 he graduated from the "Operational Staff Training Course" at Okhta ("School 401"), certified as a junior officer (senior lieutenant of justice) in the system of territorial bodies of the KGB of the USSR.

After 1977, he worked as a counterintelligence officer in the investigative department of the Leningrad Directorate of the KGB. In 1979 he completed a six-month retraining course at the Higher School of the KGB in Moscow and returned to Leningrad again.

In 1984, with the rank of Major of Justice, he was seconded to study at the one-year faculty of the Red Banner. Yu. V. Andropov Institute of the KGB of the USSR, which he graduated in 1985 with a degree in Foreign Intelligence. In the KI of the KGB of the USSR, he bore the "school" surname Platov, was the headman of the educational department, and studied German.

In 1985-1990 he worked in the GDR. He served in the territorial intelligence point in Dresden under the cover of the post of director of the Dresden Friendship House of the USSR-GDR. During the business trip, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and to the position of senior assistant to the head of the department. In 1989 he was awarded the bronze medal "For Merit to the National People's Army of the GDR".

After completing his business trip abroad and returning to the USSR, according to Putin, he voluntarily refused to transfer to the central apparatus of foreign intelligence of the KGB of the USSR in Moscow. Again he returned to the staff of the first department (intelligence from the territory of the USSR) of the Leningrad Directorate of the KGB.

According to Putin, after moving to work in the mayor's office of Leningrad, he twice submitted a report for dismissal from the KGB of the USSR. On August 20, 1991, during a speech by A. A. Sobchak against the State Emergency Committee, Putin wrote a letter of resignation from the KGB.