Vladimir Putin (born 7 October 1952) is the current President of Russia & Has been in office since 2012, having previously served as President from – 2000 to 2008 & as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012… Putin was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) on October 7, 1952. He graduated from the International Law branch of the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1975 and went on to join the KGB.

Putin worked as a spy in East Germany between -1975 and 1990 and then returned to Russia to serve in the KGB. He rose through the ranks & eventually became the head of the FSB (The successor to the KGB) in 1998. In 2000, he was elected President of Russia, succeeding the unpopular Boris Yeltsin.

During his presidency, Putin introduced a number of reforms aimed at modernizing the Russian economy & strengthening its political system. He also sought to increase Russia’s influence in the world, and has been involved in numerous international disputes. Putin has been widely criticized for his authoritarian rule & for alleged human rights abuses in Russia.

In 2012, Putin was re-elected for a third term as President and is currently due to remain in office until 2024… He is one of the most powerful figures in the world & has been described as the most powerful leader in – Europe. His influence and popularity in Russia remain very strong.

He is married to Lyudmila Shkrebneva. They have two daughters, Maria Putin and Katerina Tikhonova. Putin is also the grandfather to four grandchildren from his daughters.

Vladimir Putin’s parents are Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin and Maria Ivanovna Putina.