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|religion=previously [[Atheist]], present [[Russian Orthodox]]

|religion=claimed [[Russian Orthodox]], probably [[Atheist]]

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'''Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) was reelected president of the [[Russian Federation]] in 2012, after serving as prime minister since May 8, 2008, and previously serving as [[president]] since December 31, 1999, the day [[Boris Yeltsin]] resigned from the presidency.<ref>Putin was later elected president by 54% of the electorate on March 26, 2000.</ref> A [[Christian]] himself, Putin governs a nation that is rapidly becoming more Christian and more [[conservative]], and his snubbing of [[liberal]] [[Obama]] in May 2012 suggests that Putin is well aware of how conservative his country is becoming.  On social issues and taxation, Russia under Putin is more conservative today than the [[Western Europe]].

'''Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) was reelected president of the [[Russian Federation]] in 2012, after serving as prime minister since May 8, 2008, and previously serving as [[president]] since December 31, 1999, the day [[Boris Yeltsin]] resigned from the presidency.<ref>Putin was later elected president by 54% of the electorate on March 26, 2000.</ref> A [[Christian]] himself, Putin governs a nation that is rapidly becoming more Christian and more [[conservative]], and his snubbing of [[liberal]] [[Obama]] in May 2012 suggests that Putin is well aware of how conservative his country is becoming.  On social issues and taxation, Russia under Putin is more conservative today than the [[Western Europe]]. In reality Putin's Russia covertly suppresses Christianity.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/russia-persecution-christians-intensifies-putin-cant-be-trusted-experts-warn-184255/</ref>

Putin has been complimentary of [[Donald Trump]], and it appears they will work well together to defeat [[ISIS]]. [[Forbes]] ranked Putin as the most powerful man in the world as of December 2016, while Obama was ranked #48. As someone who rules in the style of the czars, he has before called the Bolsheviks traitors to Russia. <ref>https://www.rt.com/politics/putin-accuses-bolsheviks-treason-877/</ref> Putin gains popularity every time he challenges the U.S. or Europe, or sends troops into Georgia.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2015/jul/23/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-at-record-levels</ref> Putin's Russia is an authoritarian system, with restricted capitalism, a rubber stamp parliament, pliant media, imprisoned or exiled oligarchs, harassed NGOs, marginalized pro-Western, democratic parties, and a foreign policy based on bullying and military strength, all based on money from oil and gas.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/melikkaylan/2016/09/20/putin-brings-back-the-kgb-as-russia-moves-from-authoritarian-to-totalitarian/#48e4a416398a</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32860526</ref>

Putin has been complimentary of [[Donald Trump]], and it appears they will work well together to defeat [[ISIS]]. [[Forbes]] ranked Putin as the most powerful man in the world as of December 2016, while Obama was ranked #48. As someone who rules in the style of the czars, he has before called the Bolsheviks traitors to Russia. <ref>https://www.rt.com/politics/putin-accuses-bolsheviks-treason-877/</ref> Putin gains popularity every time he challenges the U.S. or Europe, or sends troops into Georgia.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2015/jul/23/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-at-record-levels</ref> Putin's Russia is an authoritarian system, with restricted capitalism, a rubber stamp parliament, pliant media, imprisoned or exiled oligarchs, harassed NGOs, marginalized pro-Western, democratic parties, and a foreign policy based on bullying and military strength, all based on money from oil and gas.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/melikkaylan/2016/09/20/putin-brings-back-the-kgb-as-russia-moves-from-authoritarian-to-totalitarian/#48e4a416398a</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32860526</ref>