Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952 in Leningrad) is a Russian politician who has led Russia as president and prime minister in multiple terms since 1999. A former foreign intelligence officer with the KGB, he studied law at Leningrad State University and began his career in public service in the 1990s, rising through the administration of Saint Petersburg before moving to Moscow.

Putin began his national career in 1999 when he was appointed head of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and soon after became prime minister; at the end of 1999 he became acting president after Boris Yeltsin’s resignation. He won the presidential elections in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. Because the constitution barred another consecutive term in 2008, he served as prime minister from 2008 to 2012 under President Dmitry Medvedev, then returned to the presidency in 2012 and was re-elected in 2018. A 2020 constitutional referendum allowed him to run for additional terms beyond 2024, and he remained a central figure in Russian politics.

In foreign policy, Putin’s leadership has been marked by assertive measures, including the 2014 annexation of Crimea and Russia’s military intervention in Syria. Relations with Western countries deteriorated, resulting in sanctions and ongoing diplomatic disputes. Domestically, his governance has emphasized centralized power, state control over key sectors, and a political system with restricted opposition.

Personal life information has been limited in official channels; publicly known details include a long marriage to Lyudmila Shkrebneva (1983–2013) and two daughters, Maria and Katerina. Putin is widely described as a durable and influential figure in Russian politics, shaping both domestic policy and Russia’s role on the world stage.