Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on October 7, 1952 in St Petersburg, then known as Leningrad. He was raised as an only child; his two brothers died young, one shortly after birth, the other of diphtheria during World War II. Although it was officially prohibited by the Communist law, President Putin was baptized in the Russian Orthodox faith. In his youth he was often called Putka. His father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, was a factory foreman and died in August 1999 (his mother, Maria Ivanovna Putina, died six months earlier).

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin studied law at State University in St Petersburg, then known as Leningrad. After graduating in 1975, he worked in the KGB's foreign intelligence service, mainly in Germany. He left the KGB in 1990 and became an ally of liberal Anatoly Sobchak, the mayor of St Petersburg, whom he met during his study. He first became Mr Sobchak's head of external relations and then served as deputy mayor from March 1994. When Mr Sobchak lost power in 1996 it was another liberal, deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais, who recommended him for a job in the presidential administration. There he rose to be deputy chief-of-staff before being asked, in July 1998, to take charge of one of Russia 's new security services, the Federal Security Bureau (FSB), replacing Nikolai Kovalyov. Subsequently, President Boris Yeltsin appointed him as head of the powerful Security Council. After Boris Yeltsin sacked Sergei Stepashin in August 1999, he became Russia 's prime minister. On the last day of the 20th century, Boris Yeltsin resigned and appointed him as acting president. Presidential elections were held on March 26, 2000 and he received 52.94 percent of all votes with the inauguration taking place on May 7, 2000.

Until the presidential elections, Vladimir Putin had no experience of elected office. President Putin was not renowned as a charismatic speaker - his nickname used to be the "grey cardinal". During subsequent summits though, he has proven to be an excellent speaker. He is said to be most popular among young people, Muscovites and educated people. His reputation is as a good chairman and organiser. President Putin is a candidate of economic sciences (1996).

Boris Yeltsin introduced him to the Russian people by saying that "he will be able to unite around himself those who will revive Great Russia in the new, 21st century". Sergei Stepashin later described him as a "decent and honest man". Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, said that "he's a decent, tough and energetic man who was out of public politics due to the specifics of his job". During a summit in June 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton praised him for "surely being capable of creating a strong and prosperous Russia". After Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met with Mr Putin in August 2000, he said that "he's certainly no threat to the Russian democracy".

President Putin has passable English and fluent, almost native, German. One of President Putin's favorite sports is the martial art of judo. It has been stated that President Putin began judo at the age of 13 and he continues to study judo even today. President Putin has won competitions in his hometown of Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), including senior champion of Leningrad. He is President of the Yawara Dojo, the same St. Petersburg dojo he studied in as a youth. President Putin co-authored a book on his favorite sport, published in English under the title "Judo: History, Theory, Practice". After a state visit to Japan, President Putin was invited to the Kodokan Institute and showed the students and Japanese officials different judo techniques. Though he is not the first world leader to practice judo, President Putin is the first leader to move forward in the advanced levels. Currently, President Putin is a black belt (6th dan) and is best known for his Harai goshi, a sweeping hip throw. President Putin does not smoke and he is not an excessive drinker.

President Putin is married to Lyudmila (born 1958) in 1983 in St Petersburg and has two daughters: Katya (born 1985) and Masha (born 1986). They were both born in Dresden, Germany and now attend an international school in Moscow. The Putins love animals; they own a white poodle called Tosca. Lyudmila is a graduate of the philological department of the Leningrad State University. After studying, she first worked as a stewardess in Kaliningrad and then as a schoolteacher and she speaks German, Spanish and French.


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