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'''Dr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, J.D., Ph.D.''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) affectionately known as '''Uncle Vova''',{{fact}} is the [[Christian]] socially [[conservative]] statesman and president of the [[Russian Federation]],<ref>[https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755/ How Russia Became the Leader of the Global Christian Right], By CASEY MICHEL, ''[[Politico]]'', February 09, 2017. politico.com</ref> a position he has held since 2012,{{fact}} after serving as prime minister since May 8, 2008,{{fact}} and previously serving as [[president]] since December 31, 1999<ref>[[Boris Yeltsin]] resigned from the presidency on that day, and Putin was later elected president by 54% of the electorate on March 26, 2000.</ref>  Putin holds a law degree where he specialized in international trade<ref>https://www.forexlive.com/news/a-little-known-but-scary-fact-about-vladimir-putin-20220920/</ref> and a doctorate in [[economics]] focusing on energy and particularly the field of oil and gas.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250171761_The_Putin_Thesis_and_Russian_Energy_Policy</ref> In keeping with the axiom that governments derive their just powers by the consent of the governed, Putin announced his candidacy for re-election as President of the Russian Federation in December 2023. In Russia, where the President is directly elected by the people, Putin enjoyed an 80% approval rating for his handling of the economy and the [[foreign policy]] aggression of the Western powers and the United States in Ukraine which began in 2014.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/03/31/putins-domestic-approval-rating-reaches-highest-level-in-five-years/?sh=7b162a283694 Putin’s Domestic Approval Rating Reaches Highest Level In Five Years], Derek Saul, ''[[Forbes]], Mar 31, 2022. forbes.com</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putins-approval-rating-soars-since-he-sent-troops-into-ukraine-state-pollster-2022-04-08/ Putin's approval rating soars since he sent troops into Ukraine, state pollster reports], By Peter Hobson, ''[[Reuters]]'', April 8, 2022. reuters.com</ref><ref>[https://www.statista.com/statistics/896181/putin-approval-rating-russia/ Vladimir Putin's approval rating in Russia monthly 1999-2023], Published by Statista Research Department, Oct 27, 2023. statista.com</ref>

'''Dr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, J.D., Ph.D.''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) affectionately known as '''Uncle Vova''',{{fact}} is the [[Christian]] socially [[conservative]] statesman and president of the [[Russian Federation]],<ref>[https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755/ How Russia Became the Leader of the Global Christian Right], By CASEY MICHEL, ''[[Politico]]'', February 09, 2017. politico.com</ref> a position he has held since 2012,{{fact}} after serving as prime minister since May 8, 2008,{{fact}} and previously serving as [[president]] since December 31, 1999<ref>[[Boris Yeltsin]] resigned from the presidency on that day, and Putin was later elected president by 54% of the electorate on March 26, 2000.</ref>  Putin holds a law degree where he specialized in international trade<ref>https://www.forexlive.com/news/a-little-known-but-scary-fact-about-vladimir-putin-20220920/</ref> and a doctorate in [[economics]] focusing on energy and particularly the field of oil and gas.<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250171761_The_Putin_Thesis_and_Russian_Energy_Policy</ref> In keeping with the axiom that governments derive their just powers by the consent of the governed, Putin announced his candidacy for re-election as President of the Russian Federation in December 2023. In Russia, where the President is directly elected by the people, Putin enjoyed an 80% approval rating for his handling of the economy and the [[foreign policy]] aggression of the Western powers and the United States in Ukraine which began in 2014.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/03/31/putins-domestic-approval-rating-reaches-highest-level-in-five-years/?sh=7b162a283694 Putin’s Domestic Approval Rating Reaches Highest Level In Five Years], Derek Saul, ''[[Forbes]], Mar 31, 2022. forbes.com</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putins-approval-rating-soars-since-he-sent-troops-into-ukraine-state-pollster-2022-04-08/ Putin's approval rating soars since he sent troops into Ukraine, state pollster reports], By Peter Hobson, ''[[Reuters]]'', April 8, 2022. reuters.com</ref><ref>[https://www.statista.com/statistics/896181/putin-approval-rating-russia/ Vladimir Putin's approval rating in Russia monthly 1999-2023], Published by Statista Research Department, Oct 27, 2023. statista.com</ref>

Vladimir Putin's decision in February 2022 to intervene in the [[Donbas war|Ukraine civil conflict]] followed the precedents set by the [[Obama]] era doctrine of ''Responsibility to Protect'' or R2P articulated by UN ambassador [[Samantha Power]] during the 2011 [[Libyan war]] and sanctioned by [[UN Security Council]] Resolution 1973, the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] bombing of [[Serbia]] in 1998 to carve out the separatist province of [[Kosovo]], and the [[Bush Doctrine]] of preventative war to protect civilians of the [[Donbas]]. The Donbas region had endured eight years of atrocities by the U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup|Maidan regime]], which was preparing a large scale military action against Russian-speaking civilians in early 2022.<ref>https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2021/12/01/russia-ukraine-has-deployed-half-of-its-army-to-donbass-conflict-zone</ref> Article 51 of the United Nations Charter allows for collective security arrangements.   

Vladimir Putin's decision in February 2022 to intervene in the [[Donbas war|Ukraine civil conflict]] followed the precedents set by the [[Obama]] era doctrine of ''Responsibility to Protect'' or R2P articulated by UN ambassador [[Samantha Power]] during the 2011 [[Libyan war]] and sanctioned by [[UN Security Council]] Resolution 1973, the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] bombing of [[Serbia]] in 1998 to carve out the separatist province of [[Kosovo]], and the [[Bush Doctrine]] of preventative war to protect civilians of the [[Donbas]]. The Donbas region had endured eight years of atrocities by the U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup|Maidan regime]], which was preparing a large scale military action against Russian-speaking civilians in early 2022.<ref>https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2021/12/01/russia-ukraine-has-deployed-half-of-its-army-to-donbass-conflict-zone</ref> Article 51 of the [[United Nations Charter]] allows for collective security arrangements.   

A baptized [[Russian Orthodox]] [[Christian]] who quotes the [[Bible]],<ref>https://www.libertynation.com/why-vladimir-putin-quotes-the-bible/ (analyzing with skepticism Putin's quote of [[Scriptures]]).</ref> Putin leads the increasingly [[conservative]] Russia against the [[homosexual agenda]], [[transgenderism]], and towards the [[pro-life]] side.  [[Abortion]] and other [[leftist]] values had virtually wiped out natural population growth in [[Soviet]] times, and left an indelible scar on [[culture]].  Liberals criticize Putin and [[Russia]] because they disagree with him on social issues. Putin has also criticized liberal values as "against nature" and out of touch with a more traditional population. On July 24, 2023 President Putin sign a law passed by the Russian State Duma banning [[sex change]] medical procedures and so-called "gender affirming care". The law passed unanimously by Russia's democratically elected parliament also bans hormone treatment, prohibits people who have changed their gender marker on official documents from adopting children, and allows spouses of people who have changed their gender marker to have their marriages annulled.<ref>https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/07/24/putin-signs-law-banning-sex-change-in-russia-en-news</ref>

A baptized [[Russian Orthodox]] [[Christian]] who quotes the [[Bible]],<ref>https://www.libertynation.com/why-vladimir-putin-quotes-the-bible/ (analyzing with skepticism Putin's quote of [[Scriptures]]).</ref> Putin leads the increasingly [[conservative]] Russia against the [[homosexual agenda]], [[transgenderism]], and towards the [[pro-life]] side.  [[Abortion]] and other [[leftist]] values had virtually wiped out natural population growth in [[Soviet]] times, and left an indelible scar on [[culture]].  Liberals criticize Putin and [[Russia]] because they disagree with him on social issues. Putin has also criticized liberal values as "against nature" and out of touch with a more traditional population. On July 24, 2023 President Putin sign a law passed by the Russian State Duma banning [[sex change]] medical procedures and so-called "gender affirming care". The law passed unanimously by Russia's democratically elected parliament also bans hormone treatment, prohibits people who have changed their gender marker on official documents from adopting children, and allows spouses of people who have changed their gender marker to have their marriages annulled.<ref>https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/07/24/putin-signs-law-banning-sex-change-in-russia-en-news</ref>