Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer, currently serving as the president of Russia since 2012. Born on October 7, 1952, Putin has held continuous positions as president or prime minister since 1999. Before his political career, he worked as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. After resigning from the KGB in 1991, he entered politics in Saint Petersburg and later moved to Moscow to join President Boris Yeltsin's administration. Putin served as the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and secretary of the Security Council of Russia before becoming prime minister. He was elected as president in 2000 and has been reelected in 2004 and subsequent years.