Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: Владимир Владимирович Путин) (born October 7, 1952) is the prime minister of the Russian Federation (since May 8, 2008). He previously was president of Russia, assuming that office as acting president on December 31, 1999, the day Boris Yeltsin resigned from the presidency. Putin was later elected president by approximately 52.94 percent 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. On March 14, 2004, he was elected to a second term as president with 71 percent of the vote. Barred from a third term by the Russian constitution, Putin ceded the presidency to Dmitry Medvedev on May 7, 2008.
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. 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.
Putin is seen as an antagonist to the West; his presidency has become increasingly authoritarian and opponents are murdered. It is certain that his military alliance with China, his rigged election system, nationalized oil, weapons sales to Iran Venezuala and the invasion of Georgia, are a real threat to a new Cold War. KGB Putin has complete control of Russia's future, as a dictator would. For example, on April 14, 2007, Russian riot police beat a number of protesters and journalists at an anti-Putin rally at Pushkin Square in Moscow, [1] and Putin rigged national elections for his party [2] Despite these political trends, Putin remains popular in Russia[3]. Since coming to power, Putin has expanded Russia's economy and reduced inflation. [4] The majority of Russians are relatively uninterested in politics outside of issues affecting their personal prosperity. [5] and journalist Anna Politkovskaya argued that the Russian people, as a whole, have been willing to tolerate violence in the name of "comfort and peace and quiet". [6] Politkovskaya, an outspoken critic of Putin, was assassinated in 2006 [7], and it is widely believed that the Russian government had some involvement in this death. There were 13 journalists killed in contract-style slayings during Vladimir Putin's eight-year presidency. [8]
He is married to Lyudmila Putina since July 28, 1983 (former airline stewardess). They have two daughters.
See also
References
- ↑ The Economist, April 21, 2007
- ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSL03585550._CH_.2400
- ↑ http://www.levada.ru/prezident.html Putin's Approval Ratings
- ↑ Time Magazine, February 26, 2007
- ↑ The Economist, April 21, 2007
- ↑ Politkovskaya, Anna. Putin's Russia. London: Harvill Press, 2004
- ↑ http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1819666.ece
- ↑ Russian Lawyer in Slain Journalist Case Says She, Family Poisoned AP, October 15, 2008
