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[[Image:Vladtheimpaler.jpg|right|thumb|Vladimir Putin]]

[[Image:Vladtheimpaler.jpg|right|thumb|Vladimir Putin]]

'''Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin''' (''Russian'': Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) is the current [[President]] of the [[Russian Federation]]. He succeeded [[Boris Yeltsin]] in 2000 through a democratic election getting a significant majority of the votes. He is mainly backed by the '[[United Russia]]' party which holds a majority in the Russian parliament, known as the ''Duma''.  The Party usually reflects the political views of Putin, which are that of moderate conservatism and nationalism. The next major political party in Russia is the '[[Communist Party]]' (which Putin is antagonistic towards) which still holds influence but the '[[Bolshevik]]' Party (being the old Communist Party) is banned.

'''Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin''' (''Russian'': Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) is the [[president]] of the [[Russian Federation]] since New Year's Eve of 1999, the day [[Boris Yeltsin]] resigned from the presidency. Putin was later elected as president by approximately 52.94% of the Russian electorate on March 26, 2000. He is mainly backed by the '[[United Russia]]' (''Единая Россия'') party, which currently holds a majority in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, known as the ''Duma''.  The Party usually reflects the political views of Putin, which are that of moderate conservatism and nationalism. The next major political party in Russia is the '[[Communist Party]]' (which Putin is antagonistic towards) which still holds influence but the '[[Bolshevik]]' Party (being the old Communist Party) is banned.

Putin was born in [[Leningrad]] on [[October]] 7, 1952.  He was educated in law and economics at Leningrad State University before being assigned to work in the [[KGB]].  After five years in [[East Germany]], he took up various political positions before becoming [[prime minister]] in 1999.  He has been elected [[president]] for two terms, 2000 and 2004.  

Putin was born in [[Leningrad]] on [[October]] 7, 1952.  He was educated in law and economics at Leningrad State University before being assigned to work in the [[KGB]].  After five years in [[East Germany]], he took up various political positions before becoming [[prime minister]] in 1999.  He has been elected [[president]] for two terms, 2000 and 2004.