A Brief History Of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin is one of the most recognized and influential men on the planet today, and he is currently the president of Russia. He was born in 1952 in Leningrad, which is known today as St. Petersburg. He graduated from the University and soon joined the elite Russian intelligence outfit (the KGB) in 1975. Putin left the KGB in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union and returned to his place of birth to become involved in politics. He backed Anatoly Sobchak for Mayor, and when he was elected, Putin became deputy mayor and head of external relations. 

From here, Putin rose speedily up the political ranks, and by 1996, he was in Moscow and a key member of President Yeltsin’s staff. He served Yeltsin first as deputy head of administration, then as head of Yeltsin’s security council and Federal security. Lastly, he served as Yelstin’s Prime Minister. In 1999, Putin was made acting president of Russia after Yeltsin resigned, and he subsequently won the general elections in 2000 to become president.

After becoming president, Putin’s influence in Russia’s political landscape only grew, and he was re-elected again in 2004. He, however, had to step away from the helm of affairs because of a restriction in terms that the constitution imposed. This ensured that a new president emerged in 2008 named Medvedev. However, Medvedev was a protege of Putin, and he soon appointed Putin as Prime Minister, ensuring that Putin retained power in Russia. Many say that Putin was more powerful than Medvedev, despite being Prime Minister. In 2012, Medvedev nominated Putin to run for president again, and he won with about 63% of the votes. He has remained Russia’s President since then.