The year was 2000, and in his final visit to Moscow as US President, Bill Clinton met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who was elected to office just three months ago. His first impression? Putin was capable of “creating a strong and prosperous Russia,” Mr Clinton said. It wasn’t a one-off remark because the two leaders had dinner in the Kremlin Palace.
In his phone conversations with then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bill Clinton said the new Russian President had “enormous potential”, adding, “We can do a lot of good with him.” And then, in a separate call, came the warning that Putin might “get squishy on democracy.”
The US has seen four Presidents since those phone calls 24 years ago and is preparing to go to the polls again. But guess who still rules Russia? It’s Vladimir Putin, now the longest-serving Russian leader since Stalin. Once a shadowy figure in the KGB, Putin rose from relative obscurity and is now in his fifth term.
Bold military actions and an unyielding grip on power are the hallmarks of his legacy. The 72-year-old is accused of dismantling the opposition, silencing dissenting voices and redefining geopolitics – especially as his ambitious and controversial war in Ukraine continues.
Who is Vladimir Putin?
Vladimir Putin has been one of the most influential, controversial and powerful figures globally for over two decades. He is the longest-serving leader of Russia since Joseph Stalin.
Early Life And Education
Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) on October 7, 1952, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin grew up in post-World War II Soviet Russia. His parents were Maria Ivanovna Putina and Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, a Soviet Navy conscript who served in the submarine fleet before being transferred to an NKVD destruction battalion during the Nazi invasion.
His grandfather, Spiridon Putin, was a personal cook to Vladimir Lenin (the Bolshevik leader, who founded the Soviet state) and Joseph Stalin.
Putin attended School No. 193 and later moved to Saint Petersburg High School 281 with a focus on German language. At 12, he became interested in judo and sambo, and read works by Marx, Engels and Lenin. He studied law at Leningrad State University (1970-1975), where he completed a thesis on international trade law. In 1997, he earned an economics degree from Saint Petersburg Mining University, but his thesis was later found to have been plagiarised.
KGB Career
In 1975, after graduating from Leningrad State University, Vladimir Putin trained at the 401st KGB School and started in counterintelligence before shifting to monitor foreigners in Leningrad. From 1985 to 1990, he was stationed in Dresden, East Germany, working undercover as a translator and collaborating with the state security service Stasi, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, he returned to Leningrad in 1990, joining the “active reserves” and working at his university to recruit for the KGB. He resigned from the KGB in 1991, disagreeing with the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, and briefly worked as a taxi driver for extra income.
Political Career
In 1990, Vladimir Putin became an advisor on international affairs to Leningrad’s mayor, Anatoly Sobchak. A year later, he became the head of the Mayor’s Committee for External Relations. He faced investigations for allegedly underreporting prices and permitting the export of metals valued at $93 million. In 1994, he also became the first deputy chairman of Saint Petersburg’s government.
In 1996, Vladimir Putin moved to Moscow, joining President Boris Yeltsin’s administration. He held various roles, ultimately becoming FSB director and then, acting prime minister in 1999. After Yeltsin’s resignation, Putin became acting president on December 31, 1999.
Despite being relatively unknown at the time, his popularity surged after his response to the September 1999 apartment bombings and the Second Chechen War. Putin aligned with the newly formed Unity Party, which supported him in the December 1999 elections.
He won the presidential election in March 2000 with 53 per cent of the vote and was reelected in 2004. Due to constitutional term limits, Putin served as prime minister under Dmitry Medvedev from 2008 to 2012. He returned to the presidency in 2012 and was reelected in 2018.
Vladimir Putin secured his fifth term as President of Russia in a landslide victory with no serious competition, winning 87.28 per cent of the vote in the first round of the election in March 2024. Following his inauguration, he reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as Prime Minister, entrusting him with forming a new cabinet. His landslide win, amid accusations of unfair practices, was seen as a consolidation of his grip on power for another six-year term.
Controversies
Russian Annexation Of Crimea
In early 2014, following the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin initiated military actions to annex Crimea, a region with a significant ethnic Russian population. Unmarked Russian troops swiftly took control of key sites in Crimea.
On March 16, 2014, Crimea held a controversial referendum in which officials claimed over 95 per cent of voters chose to join Russia. The international community widely condemned this referendum as illegitimate, arguing it took place under military occupation.
Vladimir Putin justified the annexation, claiming he needed to protect Russian-speaking people in Crimea and highlighting the region’s historical ties to Russia. In response, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia, aiming to isolate Putin diplomatically and economically.
The annexation ignited ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists clashed with Ukrainian forces. This aggressive move marked a significant shift in Russian foreign policy, straining relations between Russia and NATO as Eastern European nations enhanced their defences.
Russia-Ukraine War
The Russia-Ukraine War began in 2014. The conflict is rooted in Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, which ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. This upheaval threatened Russian influence, prompting Putin’s actions in Crimea. Supported by Russia, separatist movements in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region led to ongoing fighting.
Putin mobilised Russian forces, justifying the war by claiming to protect ethnic Russians and “denazify” Ukraine while accusing Ukraine of genocide. He has consistently dismissed international condemnation and sanctions.
Key events include the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the rise of separatists in Donbas, and the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian forces have bombarded Ukrainian cities, destroying infrastructure, causing civilian casualties, and displacing millions of people.
Recent developments include a Ukrainian surprise attack into Russia’s Kursk region, advancing up to 30 km, which led to mass evacuations. Putin condemned this as a “major provocation,” while Ukrainian forces claim control over over 1,200 square km of Russian territory.
In May 2024, Russian forces crossed the border north of Kharkiv, causing significant civilian displacement. The US Congress passed a $61 billion aid package to support Ukraine after a four-month hiatus in military aid. While Ukraine’s defences have held, the conflict remains intense.
War In Donbas
After Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014, the Putin government backed pro-Russian protests in Donetsk and Luhansk, which led to their declaration as independent states and sparked conflict with Ukrainian forces. In September 2022, Putin announced the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia following unrecognised referendums. The international community condemned this move, with the UN General Assembly demanding Russia reverse its actions and withdraw its troops.
Key events include the 2014 protests, the annexation announcement, and Ukraine’s counter offensives in October 2022 that recaptured territory. Putin’s involvement has displaced millions of Ukrainians and caused significant destruction, leaving the conflict ongoing and unresolved.
Intervention In Syria
On September 30, 2015, Putin authorised Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war, following a formal request from the Syrian government. The Russian military conducted airstrikes and cruise missile attacks and deployed special forces to combat various groups, including ISIL and al-Nusra Front, opposing the Syrian regime. After claiming that the initial military mission in Syria was complete in March 2016, Putin ordered a partial withdrawal of forces but Russian operations in support of the Syrian government continued.
Russian Interference In The 2016 US Election
In January 2017, a US intelligence assessment concluded that Vladimir Putin personally directed a campaign to influence the 2016 US presidential election, initially targeting Hillary Clinton. Later, the campaign showed a preference for Donald Trump. Both Trump and Putin denied any interference, but the Russian President suggested such actions could have been carried out by “patriotically minded” hackers. In July 2018, reports surfaced that the CIA cultivated a Russian source close to Putin, providing information on his involvement in the election interference. Similar attempts were reportedly made during the 2020 US presidential election.
ICC Arrest Warrant For Putin
In 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia during the invasion. It was the first ICC warrant against a head of state from a UN Security Council permanent member. The ICC also charged Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for similar offences, alleging both were involved in unlawfully transferring thousands of unaccompanied children under the guise of humanitarian aid.
Wagner Group Rebellion
In June 2023, the Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, rebelled against the Russian government. Prigozhin accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu of military failures and claimed the Ukraine invasion served oligarchs. Putin condemned the rebellion as treason. Wagner forces briefly took Rostov-on-Don and advanced toward Moscow but withdrew after talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. On August 23, 2023, Prigozhin died in a plane crash, sparking suspicions of state involvement due to reports of a possible explosion.
Personal Life
Vladimir Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva on July 28, 1983. They have two daughters, Mariya and Yekaterina. The couple got divorced in 2014.
