Vladimir Putin (1952 - ) is a Russian lawyer and politician and has been president of Russia since 2012.
A former KGB employee, after the dissolution of the Soviet agency, Putin devoted himself to politics. First in his hometown of St. Pertesburg and finally with former president Boris Yeltsin.
Biography of Putin
Vladimir Putin was born in St. Petersburg on October 7, 1952. At the time of his birth the city was called Leningrad after 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 World War II.
Vladimir Putin studied law at Leningrad State University in 1975. He then takes preparatory courses to join the Soviet secret service, the KGB. He would first serve in his hometown, but with promotions and education, 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 takes place, KGB services are dismantled in the country. He returns to St. Petersburg and there he would stay under the protection of the rector of Leningrad University, Anatoli Sobchak.
Along with Sobchak, Vladimir Putin enters local politics. First, in the successful campaign for mayor of Sobchak. When the latter fails in his bid for re-election, Putin goes to Moscow and is named deputy director of the presidency.
In this context, Putin gained the trust of Russian President Boris Iéltsin (1931-2007). In addition to the economic crisis, Yeltsin found himself increasingly isolated due to alcoholism and his health problems. Thus, there are not a few who want to take the place of the representative as quickly as possible.
Yeltsin appoints 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 in case 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 elections held on March 20, 2000.
Putin has become a key player in Russian economic growth in recent decades. Likewise, the country has regained the geopolitical prominence 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 targets of criticism in the West.
Putin's government
In 2000, the Russia he was an unimportant character on the international stage. In 2018, an indispensable actor. In those eighteen years he has been 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 re-election, he helped his ally Dmitry Medvev win the 2008 elections and Putin was appointed Prime Minister.
In 2012, Putin is again victorious in the presidential election. In 2018, he runs again in the presidential elections 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 have traveled around the world. Therefore, the president is the constant target of jokes and Internet memes that satirize his way of life.
It also approached Russian Orthodox Church leaders in order to secure the support of more conservative voters. In fact, 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 regain the coffers of the state.
The key to these two goals 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.
Thus, one of his first measures is to nationalize the oil companies that had been privatized during the 1990s. Putin also benefited directly from the oil price increase and was thus able to balance the state budget.
With the new trade agreements, Putin uses the profits from this industry to multiply military spending by five and thus restore the Armed Forces' prestige.
foreign relations
The former Soviet republics still resent the power of Russia when they think of following paths that would lead them to have more contact with the West.
Thus, in 2008, Russia invades Georgia as it tries to get closer to the NATO.
In 2014, Russia invades Ukraine as it tries to apply for European Union. The objective was to annex Crimea, a region rich in natural gas, and thus guarantee the energy supply to Europe.
At that time, they 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 earned Russia international economic and political sanctions on the country as its expulsion from the G7 - Group of Seven.
Syria
putin enters 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 does it 11 times.
Putin's Phrases
- "Terrorism has no nationality or religion."
- "Fifty years ago, the streets of Leningrad taught me one thing: if fighting is inevitable, you must attack first. So it's better for us to fight them there, as I said, than 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 today. 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 have legalized gay marriage.
- His fortune is estimated to be 46 billion euros.
- He measures 1.67m and is a Beatles fan. His favorite song of the group is "Yesterday".
- After Stalin, Vladimir Putin is the Russian leader who has been at the head of the country the longest.
read more:
- USSR
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
- Trump government
- orthodox church
