Vladimir Putin
Introduction
Vladimir Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician who served as Russian President from 2000 to 2008, and from 2012 onwards. Between 2008-2012, he served as Russian Prime Minister making him the most powerful and de facto leader in Russia during this time in office. Since 2012 he has served as Russian President.
Early Life
Putin from a young age, Putin was keen on sports, especially martial arts, such as Judo. He has maintained an interest in sports during his time as a politician.
Putin studied Law at Leningrad State University, writing a PhD thesis on the importance of energy policy for future Russian economic success.
Career
After graduating in 1975, he joined the KGB. He was involved in monitoring foreigners and consular officials in Leningrad. From 1985 to 1990 he was posted to Dresden, East Germany. On the collapse of the East German government, he returned to Leningrad where he was involved in surveillance of the student body.
In August 1981, there was an attempted coup by Communist hard-liners with links to military and KGB against Mikhail Gorbachev. On the second day of the putsch, Putin resigned from the KGB and sought to pursue a political career.
Putin said the decision to resign from the KGB was hard, but he didn’t support the direction of the coup and the hard-liners.
On July 28, 1983, Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva. They have two daughters, Maria Putina (born 1985) and Yekaterina (Katya) Putina (born 1986 in Dresden). Putin himself is a practising member of the Russian Orthodox Church.
His religious awakening followed the serious car crash of his wife in 1993 and was deepened by a life-threatening fire that burned down their dacha in August 1996. Right before an official visit to Israel, his mother gave him his baptismal cross telling him to get it blessed “I did as she said and then put the cross around my neck. I have never taken it off since.”
President & Prime Minister
In 1997, Boris Yeltsin appointed him to the position of deputy chief of the Presidential staff. In 1999, with the backing of Yeltsin, he was voted as Prime Minister of Russia. When Yeltsin, unexpectedly resigned a few months later, Putin became the default President of Russia.
During the early years of his Presidency, Putin gained substantial popular backing because of his hard-line on military issues (such as the war in Chechnya) and overseeing a return to economic stability. He cultivated a macho ‘action man’ image of fearless leader and sportsman, helped by his sporting and KGB past. This image was attractive to voters.
After a decade of inflation and falling living standards, during the 2000s, Russia embarked on a sustained period of economic growth, falling unemployment and rising living standards.
The strong performance of the economy was attributable to the rising price of oil and gas (increasing value of Russia’s exports) and strong macroeconomic management.
Early in his leadership, he came to an arrangement with the new Russian ‘oligarchs’ powerful businessmen who had gained control of formerly state-owned industries. Putin made a deal where they agreed to start paying tax and avoiding politics, in return for leaving them free to pursue their business interests. This helped raise revenue for the government and reduced the political influence of the Oligarchs.
In 2008, unable to run for a third term as President, he ran for Prime minister, with his dual political aid Medvedev becoming President. However, it was Putin who remained the most powerful figure.
In 2012, Putin was re-elected for a third term as President, however, for the first time, this led to widespread protests at the lack of democracy in Russia. Increasingly, Putin’s regime has been criticised for being dictatorial and avoiding a true democracy.
For example, former Russian President Gorbachev, who was initially a supporter of Putin said he was disappointed by the increased disrespect for democracy and authoritarian tendencies. In 2007, Gorbachev said Putin had ‘pulled Russia out of chaos’.
But, in 2011 criticised Putin for seeking a third term as President. Gorbachev was severely critical of the 2011 elections. “The results do not reflect the will of the people,” Mr Gorbachev said at the time. “Therefore I think they [Russia’s leaders] can only take one decision – annul the results of the election and hold new ones.” (Gorbachev calls on Putin to resign)
Putin has been hailed by Patriarch Alexius II of the Russian Orthodox Church as instrumental in healing the 80-year schism between it and the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia in May 2007.
Putin was supportive of the Russian Orthodox church in supporting the imprisonment of members of ‘Pussy Riot’ the pop group who protested about Putin and the Church. However, the decision to imprison members of Pussy Riot was widely condemned across the world for breaching human rights.
2014
In March 2014, in the wake of turmoil in Ukraine, Putin authorised the use of Russian troops to enter the region of Crimea. Shortly after, a referendum was organised where a majority of people voted to leave the Ukraine and rejoin Russia. There was criticism over the legitimacy of the referendum, but Crimea has effectively left Ukraine for Russia. The issue over Ukraine has led to increased tension between Russia and the West.
2016 US election
During the 2016 US election, it was alleged that Russian operators sought to influence the 2016 Presidential election by posting social media items which helped Donald Trump and hindered Hilary Clinton. Similar allegations were made with regard to the UK vote on Brexit. Although Putin denies influencing elections, there is evidence Russian foreign policy is geared towards destabilising Western democracies and weakening the NATO alliance. Under Trump, the NATO alliance has been very much weakened, with Trump being the most pro-Russian president in modern times.
2018 Russian election
In 2018, Putin won a fourth Presidential term, with 76% of the vote. Political opponents argue the system is rigged with opposition candidates placed under arrest or prevented from actively campaigning. Putin has suggested he will not run again in 2024, but his party United Russia have a powerful monopoly on local and national elections, and it is not certain when this will be ended.
The Honor (by Countries)
Vietnam (2001)
Kazakhstan (2004)
France (2006)
Tajikistan (2007)
Saudi Arabia (2007)
UAE (2007)
Venezuela (2010)
Serbian Orthodox Crunch (2011)
Monaco (2013)
Cuba (2014)
Serbia (2014)
Turkmenistan (2017)
Kyrgyzstan (2017)
China (2018)
Latest news of battel between Russia 🇷🇺vs ukraine 🇺🇦
Battle of Seventh-days
The curtain has come down on the seventh day in the war between Russia and Ukraine, amid reports that a regional city has fallen into the hands of Russian forces trying to reach the capital, Kyiv, and the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution calling on Moscow to stop its “aggression” immediately, and Turkey announces that it will not participate in the sanctions. Against Moscow, and other events, and the following is a summary of the most important events taking place so far according to the German network Deutsche Welle.
The International Paralympic Committee bans Russian athletes from participating in the Beijing Games
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the Games in Beijing, according to the committee's official website.
The Committee had earlier decided to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games in a neutral position, and it was noted that their prizes would not be taken into account in the unofficial medal standings of the Games.
Many countries have threatened to withdraw from the Beijing Paralympics because of the International Paralympic Committee's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, said the head of the committee.
He added: “Over the past 12 hours, a large number of participants have contacted us and they have been very open, and I am grateful for that. They told us that if we don't reconsider our decision, it could now potentially have dire consequences for the 2022 Paralympics Winter Games in Beijing. Several National Paralympic Committees, contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, threaten not to compete."
Russia admits killing about 500 of its troops in Ukraine
Russia revealed, through Russian army spokesman Igor Konashenkov, the first toll of its military casualties during the war on Ukraine, announcing the death of 498 of its soldiers and the wounding of 1,597 others. According to the spokesman, the losses on the part of the "Ukrainian military and nationalists" amounted to "2870 dead and about 3,700 wounded."
It is noteworthy that the Ukrainian side is talking about the killing of more than five thousand Russian soldiers.
Biden: Sanctions on Russian oil imports are not "ruled out"
US President Joe Biden announced that imposing sanctions on Russian oil imports into the United States in response to the invasion of Ukraine "is not excluded." "Nothing is ruled out," Biden told reporters, in response to a question about the possibility that oil would be the next target of unprecedented US and European sanctions on Moscow.
The United States, along with other allies, has imposed sanctions aimed at crippling the Russian currency, commercial banking, airlines and other sectors.
Kyiv: Explosions and a shell hit the railway station
Air raid sirens sounded across the Ukrainian capital. "The situation is complicated," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram, as several explosions were heard in the city. The shell also hit the southern area of the main train station in Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaleznytsia. The station was slightly damaged, the company said, adding that the attack took place while thousands of women and children were being taken to safety on trains.
The Prime Minister of Israel speaks on the phone with Putin and Zelensky
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who has offered his country to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, spoke with the two countries' leaders. Bennett first called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said on Twitter that they had spoken of "Russian aggression."
The Kremlin later said in a statement that Bennett had initiated a phone call with President Putin and that the latter had told him that observance of Moscow's security interests was among the main conditions for settling the conflict, and at Kyiv's request, Bennett had offered to mediate with Israel in peace talks.
Steinmeier calls on Putin to end war on Ukraine
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to end Russia's war on Ukraine. On the sidelines of the prayer of peace in the Church of the Virgin in Dresden, he said: "There is no justification for this war."
"No one can justify before history what is happening in Ukraine, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, the death of innocent people and the destruction of a country, so we appeal to the Russian president: stop this war now," he added. He added that it was not courageous to attack a smaller neighboring country, "but it is courageous to stop this war, and this is what we are asking for now."
The G7 is considering banning Russia from using cryptocurrencies
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced that the G7 member states are discussing ways to prevent individuals or companies targeted by Western sanctions against Russia from using cryptocurrencies to circumvent the measures taken.
"We also have to take measures to prevent individuals and institutions on the (sanctions) lists from resorting to cryptocurrencies that are not subject to any regulations," the minister said in a statement. We are working in this direction within the framework of the German presidency of the Group of Seven.”
An overwhelming majority votes in favor of condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calling on Moscow to withdraw all its forces immediately, in a move aimed at isolating Russia politically. The resolution, which was supported by 141 out of 193 members, came at the conclusion of a rare emergency session of the General Assembly called by the Security Council.
German Foreign Minister Annalina Birbock had called on the countries of the world to vote in favor of the resolution, saying that "the Russian war represents a new reality. It requires each of us to take a firm and responsible decision and announce our position.”
The European Union excludes seven Russian banks from “Swift”
The 27 member states of the European Union excluded seven Russian banks from the global financial system SWIFT, but they excluded two major financial institutions linked to the hydrocarbon sector, due to the heavy dependence of a number of countries on Russian gas.
The measure will be implemented as of March 12 and comes after a green light issued by member statesIn the European Union after days of negotiations.
Dortmund cancels former chancellor Schroeder's honorary membership
The German club, Borussia Dortmund, announced the cancellation of the honorary membership of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, due to his connection to Russia. This came as a result of Schroeder's insistence, 77, not to resign from his management positions in Russian state-owned energy companies, following the invasion of Ukraine.
Schroeder is known to be a fan of Hannover (Second Division), who says he can still visit his stadium.
Germany delivers anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine
The German news agency has learned from sources in the German government that the weapons that Berlin announced its intention to provide to Ukraine have been delivered. Last Saturday, the German government announced its intention to support the Ukrainian armed forces with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles.
The German government decides to withdraw part of the national oil reserves
The German Economy Ministry announced to the German news agency that the German government released part of the national reserves of oil to calm the oil market, in response from Berlin to the war in Ukraine. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Germany was thus making its contribution to international efforts, and "it is important that we act in a united manner in times like these."
The issue of holding a new round of negotiations is unresolved
Ukraine's presidential adviser, Oleksiy Aristovich, says that "it is not known whether talks will take place" today with Russia, noting that there are still coordinations about setting the date and place of the talks, and at the same time, he did not rule out holding a meeting on Wednesday.
The Kremlin had announced that Russia was ready to continue negotiations this afternoon, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He refused to announce where the negotiations would take place.
Exclusion of Russian banks from the “SWIFT” system comes into force
European Union sanctions related to the exclusion of seven Russian financial banking institutions from the banking communications network "SWIFT" entered into force with a transition period of 10 days, according to the Official Journal of the European Union, Wednesday, but they excluded two major financial institutions linked to the hydrocarbon sector, namely "Sberbank" and "Sberbank". Gazprombank is the main broker for energy payments in the European Union, after EU member states expressed concerns about rising energy prices.
UN estimates: The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine exceeds 800,000
The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries rose again to 836,000 as of March 1, according to a census prepared by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees released on Wednesday. The commission said that there are 835,928 people who have fled Ukraine, of whom 453,982 have found refuge in Poland.
Thus, the number of refugees rose by 160,000, from 677,000 Tuesday, with the withdrawal of what the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, announced during an urgent appeal to raise 1.7 billion dollars to fund humanitarian aid for the country and for people who fled the fighting. "We are witnessing what may be the worst refugee crisis in Europe of this century," Grandi said.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister: We have prepared in advance for the sanctions
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov says that his country has prepared in advance to impose sanctions on it. He said, "We have been working for some time to reduce our dependence on imports, and we have achieved a lot in this regard, especially in vital areas of national defense and security," according to the Russian Interfax agency.
Zelensky: Russia wants to "wipe out" Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video today that Russia aims to erase Ukraine, its history and its people. Zelensky considered that the West's response was not enough and called for more international support, including for Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union.
Zelensky called on "all Jews of the world" to "not remain silent" about what is happening to his country.
The majority of Germans are against their country's military intervention in the war in Ukraine
In an opinion poll, 17% of Germans supported their country's military intervention in Russia's war on Ukraine. According to the poll, which was conducted by the YouGov Institute for measuring opinion indicators and the results of which were published today, Wednesday, 63% of Germans opposed this move completely or to some extent.
Sixty-three percent of Germans support the "special fund" announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the amount of 100 billion euros to strengthen the defense capabilities of his country - "for necessary investments and armaments projects." On the other hand, 25% refused to increase expenditures on defense, and 12% did not specify their position on the matter.
1,300 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Berlin via Poland
A total of about 1,300 Ukrainian refugees arrived at Berlin's main station on Tuesday evening, broadcaster Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) reported. A spokesman for the German railway company "Deutsche Bahn" said today, Wednesday, that they arrived from Poland on regular train trips, but according to the senator for social affairs in Berlin Katja Kipping (left) in a statement this morning, the train company was unable to confirm those numbers.
- Did Kherson city fall?
The Russian army announced its control of the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine and the landing of Lusa forces in Kharkiv, the second city of Ukraine. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised statements that "Russian units in the armed forces have completely taken control of Kherson."
Minutes earlier, the city's mayor, Igor Kulekhaev, had announced that the region was still under Ukrainian control, writing on Facebook, "We are still Ukraine. We are still fighting.”
For his part, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, "The city has not fallen, our side continues to defend," noting that street battles are taking place in the southern port, which is located at the mouth of the Dnieper River in theBlack Sea.
The Ukrainian army had announced in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday night that "Russian airborne forces landed in Kharkiv (...) and attacked a local hospital." "Practically, there is no longer a region in Kharkiv where an artillery shell has not yet landed," said Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's Interior Minister.
Biden: Putin will pay a heavy price
US President Joe Biden has vowed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will "pay a heavy, long-term price" even if his short-term military campaign succeeds. In his first State of the Union address, Biden said that "a Russian dictator's invasion of a foreign country has costs all over the world," stressing that "Putin was wrong. We are ready, we are strong.” "In the battle between democratic and authoritarian regimes, democracies have proven that they are up to the challenge, and it is clear that the world is choosing the side of peace and security," he added.
Turkey will not participate in the sanctions against Russia
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that his country had asked Moscow to withdraw its request to allow ships not registered in the Russian Black Sea Fleet to cross the Turkish straits, and that the Russian government had accepted that. He added that Turkey had informed all the countries bordering the Black Sea and others that it would implement the Montreux Convention on the Straits literally and without any double standards, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a related context, the Turkish Foreign Minister stressed that his country did not participate in the sanctions against Russia "in principle, and we are not inclined to participate in the current sanctions either." He stressed that the sanctions imposed on Moscow "may negatively affect the members of the European Union as well as other countries besides the Russian economy."
The United Nations General Assembly approves a resolution condemning Russia's operations in Ukraine
The emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the Russian attack on Ukraine. The resolution calls on Russia to immediately stop using force against Ukraine, considering what it described as the Russian aggression as contrary to international law.
The resolution also calls on Russia to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces from Ukrainian territory, and to immediately rescind its decision regarding the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.
The resolution, which was approved by 141 countries, 5 rejected, and 35 abstained, also calls for providing safe transit outside Ukraine and facilitating the access of humanitarian assistance.
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