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Vladimir Putin

Political Figure / President of Russia

As the hand-picked successor of Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin was elected president of the Russian Federation in 2000. After earning a law degree in 1975, Putin joined the KGB, the security force of the former Soviet Union. He spent years working primarily in East Germany, then left the service in 1991 and became active in the politics of St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad). He was brought to Moscow by Yeltsin in 1996 and served as an administrator in the Kremlin and an official for the security organizations which replaced the KGB. In 1999 Putin became Yeltsin's fifth prime minister in 17 months, then became acting president when Yeltsin left office. He was officially elected to the office in 2000 and then re-elected in a landslide vote in March of 2004.

Russian leaders of the past: Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev and Czar Nicholas II.

Four Good Links

Full Coverage: Russia

Yahoo News offers the latest news from Putin's domain

Who Is Vladimir Putin?

Putin profile and news archives from the U.K. paper The Guardian

Vladimir Putin: President 2004

Pro-Putin site with a bio and campaign news

Vladimir Putin

Comprehensive fan site with many photos

Vital Stats

Birth

7 October 1952
(age 55)

Birthplace

Leningrad, Russia (now St. Petersburg)

Death

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Best Known As

President of the Russian Federation, 2000-