|country=Russia
|number=2th and 4th
|terms=2000-December 31, 1999–May 7, 2008 (first), <br>May 7, 2012- 2012– (second)
|vp=Dmitry Medvedev
|preceded=[[Boris Yeltsin]] (First term), Dmitry Medvedev (Second term)
|religion=claimed [[Russian Orthodox]], previously [[Atheist]]
}}
'''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]].
A [[Christian]], Putin has been complimentary of leads the increasingly [[Donald Trumpconservative]] [[Russia]] against the [[homosexual agenda]], and it appears they will work well together to defeat towards [[ISISpro-life]]side. Much of the criticism of [[ForbesRussia]] ranked Putin as the most powerful man by [[liberal]]s in the world as of December 2016, while Obama was ranked #48. 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 [[United States]] 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 motivated by their opposition to Russian policies on bullying and military strength, all based on money from oil and gassocial issues.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/melikkaylan/2016/09/20/putin-brings-back-[[Obama]] even refused to attend the-kgb-as-russia-moves-from-authoritarian-to-totalitarian/#48e4a416398a</ref><ref>http://wwwWinter Olympic games held in Russia in 2014.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32860526</ref>
In terms of achievements, However Putin has successfully opposed the made many controversial statements on [[homosexual agendaCommunism]] and has supported a good attitude towards [[pro-lifeIslam]] reforms. He has also stabilized the Russian economy and restored Russia's national pride, largely by politically exploiting the financial windfall of Europe's need for Russian oil and gas. Russians were enthusiastic that he ended the social chaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent pell-mell privatization of the state-owned economy. Many Russians have been mesmerized by the new glitter of Moscow and the restored glamour of St. Petersburg. Russia's revived self-pride follows the humiliation of the chaos after 1991 and the incompetence of his predecessor [[Boris YeltsinAlexander Dugin]]. Russians have a long history of authoritarian governments and a strong diastase for anarchy. They have little experience with freedom. The Russian mafia, which is more sophisticated than its counterparts elsewhere, controls more than 40 percent of the total economy. Their control is thought to be even greater in certain areas, such as banking, real estate, and consumer markets.argues:<ref>[http://www.worldbankaspeninstitute.orgit/html/prddr/trans/janfeb97/art4.htm Louise I. Shelley, ''The Price Tag of Russia's Organized Crime'']</ref> In November 2014, Putin started allowing his citizens to own concealed firearms for selfaspenia-defense.<ref>https:online/article/www.rt.com/news/206703russian-russiaconservative-gunsview-selfputin-defense/interview-alexander-dugin</ref> {{Cquote|If we consider the situation in Russia under more closely, we will discover that almost all that is said in the West about Putin made it illegal to preach religions is wrong. It is a complete caricature. The most important criticism of Putin inside Russia is not recognized by from the constitution, including atheism,<ref>https://wwwliberals.theguardianLiberals represent the smallest part of the critics.com/world/2016/mar/03/russian-atheist-faces-year-They are absolutely marginal… So the West is absolutely wrong in-jail-for-denying-existence-thinking that there is this big liberal opposition to Putin that is artificially kept down. The real opposition to Putin is growing completely on the other side of-god-during-webchat</ref> but Russian society. It is growing discontent with "lunar" Putin, against the Putin who is surrounded by liberals. All the government is completely not only corrupt, it also suppressed nonconsists of pro-Eastern Orthodox ChristiansWestern liberals.<ref>http://wwwNothing has changed after the last election.christianpost.com/news/russia-persecution-christians-intensifies-putin-cant-be-trusted-experts-warn-184255/</ref>}}
[[Robert KraftForbes]], ranked Putin as the owner most powerful man in the world as of December 2016, while Obama was ranked #48. Putin gains popularity every time he challenges the [[New England Patriots]]U.S. or Europe, accused or sends troops into Georgia.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2015/jul/23/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-at-record-levels</ref> Putin of stealing Kraft's [[Super Bowl]] ringRussia is an authoritarian system, with restricted capitalism, a rubber stamp parliament, compliant 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> In March 2018, Putin responded that Kraft gave it unveiled his re-vamped nuclear missile program, and used the opportunity to him as a giftthreaten the United States of America and the Western World.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-01/putin-calls-for-raising-living-standards-in-annual-address Putin Shows Off New Nuclear Weapons, Warns West to ‘Listen’]</ref>
==Background==
Putin was born in [[Leningrad]] on [[October]] 7, 1952 and was baptized as an Orthodox Christian and continue to be a member to this day. Putin was a judo champion in his youth.<ref>http://nypost.com/2013/11/13/vladimir-putin-is-tougher-than-chuck-norris/</ref> He was educated in law and economics at Leningrad State University before being assigned to work in the [[KGB]].<ref>[http://en.putin.kremlin.ru/ Webpage of Vladimir Putin]</ref> After five years in [[East Germany]], he took up various political positions before becoming [[prime minister]] in 1999.
[[File:Vladtheimpaler.jpg|thumb|200px|Putin at an conference]]
He was married to Lyudmila Putina, a former stewardess with Aeroflot, from July 28, 1983, until 2014, when the two divorced. They have two daughters.
===Domestic policy===
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 terms of achievements, Putin has successfully opposed the [[homosexual agenda]] and has supported [[pro-life]] reforms. He has also stabilized the Russian economy and restored Russia's national pride, largely by politically exploiting the financial windfall of Europe's need for Russian oil and gas. Russians were enthusiastic that he ended the social chaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent pell-mell privatization of the state-owned economy. Many Russians have been mesmerized by the new glitter of Moscow and the restored glamour of St. Petersburg. Russia's revived self-pride follows the humiliation of the chaos after 1991 and the incompetence of his predecessor [[Boris Yeltsin]]. Russians have a long history of authoritarian governments and a strong diastase for anarchy. They have little experience with freedom. The Russian mafia, which is more sophisticated than its counterparts elsewhere, controls more than 40 percent of the total economy. Their control is thought to be even greater in certain areas, such as banking, real estate, and consumer markets.<ref>[http://www.worldbank.org/html/prddr/trans/janfeb97/art4.htm Louise I. Shelley, ''The Price Tag of Russia's Organized Crime'']</ref> In November 2014, Putin started allowing his citizens to own concealed firearms for self-defense.<ref>https://www.rt.com/news/206703-russia-guns-self-defense/</ref> Russia under Putin made it illegal to preach religions not recognized by the constitution, including atheism,<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/russian-atheist-faces-year-in-jail-for-denying-existence-of-god-during-webchat</ref> but it also suppressed non-Eastern Orthodox Christians.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/russia-persecution-christians-intensifies-putin-cant-be-trusted-experts-warn-184255/</ref>
===Political career===
====Relations with U.S.====
Conservatives such as Sean Hannity have repeately issued warnings that Putin is a thug and a "bad actor" who cannot be trusted.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2018/02/16/hannity-examining-key-points-from-russian-indictments.html Hannity: Examining key points from Russian indictments]</ref>
=====Relations under George W. Bush=====
Initially relations between [[George W. Bush]] and Putin were good, with Putin lending passive support to Bush's war on global terror. Putin was restrained from giving much assistance outside the Russian Federation, being pre-occupied with the [[Islamist]] movements waging [[jihad]] inside his own borders.
===== Relations under Barack Obama =====
[[File:Targeted sanctions.jpg|right|400px|thumb|''Targetted Sanctions'', from a Moscow art exhibition.]]
President [[Barack Obama]] and Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] initially cozied up to Putin, charging the Bush administration was intent on reigniting the [[Cold War]]. However once the [[Rosatom-Uranium One deal ]] was completed and the [[Clinton Foundation]] pocketed millions of dollars from Putin cronies in donations and speaking fees, relations began to sour as the Obama administration could no longer ignore geopolitical realities. Putin had protested the Obama administrations illegal drone strikes, and the administration placed [[Magnitsky Act|sanctions on Russian leaders ]] ostensibly in retaliation for the Crimean referendum.<ref>https://youtu.be/I-9aD45qxbE</ref>
President Obama's decision to move an anti-missile defense system to [[Romania]] during the [[2016 US Presidential election]] only heightened tensions. Putin, who had repeatedly assailed the antimissile system as a grave danger to Russia's security, called Obama's decision dangerous. This coupled with Obama's implementation of sanctions rather than honor the [[American foreign policy#1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances|1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances]] negotiated by the [[Clinton administration]], displaying it as an empty promise to guarantee Ukrainian independence, only further exposed the befuddlement and inability of the Obama administration to stand by US commitments and the weaknesses of NATO.
===== Relations under Donald Trump =====
President [[Donald Trump]] accused Putin of taking [[Crimea]] by force and asked whether Obama was too soft on Russia.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-latest-tweet-accuse-crimea-obama-too-soft-distance-campaign-team-white-house-a7581511.html Donald Trump accuses Russia of taking Crimea by force in attempt to distance himself from campaign allegations]</ref> In March 2017 the US department of state strongly condemned the arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/hundreds-arrested-mass-protests-against-vladimir-putins-government/ Washington condemns arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government]</ref> The US Secretary of State [[Rex Tillerson]] said that US sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Moscow "reverses the actions" it has taken in Ukraine.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/31/politics/rex-tillerson-russia-ukraine/ Tillerson: US to maintain Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia until Crimea is returned]</ref>
In response to the April, 4 chemical attack on Khan Shaykhun in [[Syria]], President Trump launched 59-Tomahawk rockets on a Syrian Air base nearby, tensions led up with Russia, Syria's ally, Putin has called that the US attack was an "illegal act of aggression",<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4389332/Russia-calls-airstrikes-Syria-act-aggression.html</ref> and answered this attack by sending a frigate to the military base in Syria.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/world/middleeast/russia-iran-us-strikes-syria.html?_r=0</ref> In April 2017 Putin explained that the US-Russia relations have gotten worse under Trump, contrary to narratives put out by the liberal mainstream media that Trump is too "soft" to Putin and is Putin's 'puppet' .<ref>http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/228064</ref> In December 2017 Putin warned President Trump because of his decision to move the US embassy from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Jerusalem]] and stated that he was "deeply concerned".<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/239041 Putin 'deeply concerned' by Trump's Jerusalem move]. ''IsraelNationalNews''. December 18, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2018.</ref> Putin also opposed Trump's withdrawal from the [[Iran nuclear deal]] and told that Russia would continue to honor its obligations under this deal.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/putin-criticizes-u-s-over-iran-deal-at-summit-with-china-1.6158932 Putin Criticizes Trump Over Iran Nuclear Deal]. ''Haaretz''. June 10, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.</ref> In March 2018, Russian Propaganda video was released showing how a new missile program could be used to attack America. In the video, the state of [[Florida]] was specifically targeted.<ref>[http://fortune.com/2018/03/01/putin-russia-nuclear-threat-florida-mar-a-lago/ Why Russia Would Specifically Choose to Threaten Florida With a Nuclear Blast]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43248794 Why would Putin want to nuke Florida?]</ref>
====Relations with the EU====
After [[Crimea]] joined Russia, the [[European Union]] imposed sanctions against Putin and his government.<ref>http://rt.com/business/168192-eu-sanctions-crimea-deadlock/</ref>
The relations within the EU are different and divided, it is mainly the following countries advocating namely an aggressive a critical attitude towards the Russian government: the Baltic states ([[Estonia]], [[Latvia]] and [[Lithuania]]) [[Poland]], [[Sweden]], [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], [[France]] and the [[United Kingdom]],<ref>http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/russian-sanctions-debate-divides-eu/</ref><ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4464/eu-russia</ref>
while the following countries belong to the pro Kremlin camp or want to maintain a better relationship: [[Hungary]], [[Italy]] and [[Czech Republic]].
Also, multiple nationalist parties in the EU appreciate Putin's policies against the Leftist liberal dominance in Europe, like [[Marine Le Pen]]'s [[French National Front|National Front]].
=== Historical understanding Views on abortion === Putin rejects any constitutional right to [[abortion]], as exists in the [[United States]], but is not ready to ban abortion from [[Russia]] either. Instead, Putin has supported and enforced [[pro-life]] laws in Russian which would be invalidated by [[pro-abortion]] courts in the United States. In 2017, he said that he will allow societal (including church) views to guide him on the issue:<ref>[http://fortune.com/2017/12/14/vladimir-putin-russia-abortion-pro-choice-press-conference/ An article biased in favor of [[abortion]] but useful for its quotations]</ref> :“In the modern world, the decision is up to the woman herself,” Putin said, and indicated that additional pro-life proposals “must be careful, considered and based on the general mood in society and the moral and ethical norms that have developed in society.” Putin's "the decision" is an ambiguous phrase that could include the decision to have the pregnancy in the first place. Also, Putin is very pro-[[Russia]] and if thinks abortion is lowering the birth rate in a harmful way, then he could abolish it based on national interests. === Views on communism and the Soviet Union ===As someone who rules in the style of the czars, Putin has before called the [[Bolshevik]]s traitors to Russiafor Russia’s defeat in the First World War.<ref>https://www.rt.com/politics/putin-accuses-bolsheviks-treason-877/</ref> However , he has also expressed that “"[he] liked Communist and socialist ideas very much and [he] like[s] them still.” " and compared the Soviet code of conduct to the [[Bible]].<ref>http://www.newsweek.com/russias-putin-says-he-always-liked-communist-socialist-ideas-419289</ref> Putin was also has compared communism with Christianity.<ref>Newman, Alex (January 16, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/28051-communism-very-similar-to-christianity-putin-claims Communism “Very Similar” to Christianity, Putin Claims]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 17, 2018.</ref> Putin was accused of embracing the tactics of Soviet dictator [[Joseph Stalin]].<ref>http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-stalin-model-20150611-story.html</ref>In addition, he implies in an interview with [[Larry King]] dated September 8, 2000 that his Christianity isn't actually sincere by stating in Russian that he "believes in the power of man" or "I believe in human beings." Furthermore, around October 2017, he hosted the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students Communist event and gave a speech that strongly implied that he adhered to Communism. Similarly, he also had provided arms and materiel to various communist groups, including [[Angola]], and has voiced a desire to reconnect with Latin America shortly before the FSLN regained power in Nicaragua and has supported [[Nicaragua]] via foreign aid, shipping tanks, and even posting a GLONASS tracking station on the Caribbean coast, alongside similar arming of North Korea.<ref>https://westernfreepress.com/is-vladimir-putin-a-communist/</ref> He also indicated that he still keeps his KGB card while citing his contemporaries within the KGB had discarded theirs after the USSR's fall.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/putin-his-communist-party-membership-card-i-still-keep-it-home</ref> === Views on Islam ===In January 2018 Putin said that "[t]raditional Islam is an integral part of the Russian cultural code". He also vowed to support Islamic religious education.<ref>https://themoscowtimes.com/news/putin-calls-for-revival-of-islamic-education-in-russia-60276</ref> Putin has openly endorsed his Muslim puppet dictator in [[Chechnya]], [[Ramzan Kadyrov]].<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/03/26/putin-insists-on-russian-law-in-chechnya-while-supporting-muslim-president/</ref> Kadyrov has de facto established [[Sharia]] law in the region and was condemned by the international community for slaughtering gay citizens.<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/chechnya-ramzan-kadyrov-gay-citizens-massacre-chechen-leader-do-not-exist-russia-vladimir-putin-a7675906.html</ref> Chechen authorities have imposed a compulsory Islamic dresscode for women.<ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12705300</ref> ==Quotes==*"Anyone who doesn't regret the passing of the Soviet Union has no heart. Anyone who wants it restored has no brains."<ref>Parfitt, Tom (December 23, 2007). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/23/russia.tomparfitt Spy who came in from the cold]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved September 15, 2018.</ref> ==Trivia==[[Robert Kraft]], the owner of the [[New England Patriots]], accused Putin of stealing Kraft's [[Super Bowl]] ring. Putin responded that Kraft gave it to him as a gift.
==See also==
* [[Crisis in Ukraine]]
* [[Russophobia]]
*[[Oleg Deripaska]]
==Further reading==
==References==
<references/>{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
[[Category:Russian Political People]]
[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Billionaires]]