Vladimir Putin, born on October 7, 1952, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia, is a prominent Russian politician who has played a significant role in the country's political landscape over the last few decades. He graduated from Leningrad State University in 1975 with a degree in law and began his career in the KGB, the Soviet Union's security agency, where he served for 16 years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Putin transitioned into politics, quickly ascending through the ranks. He served as the Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's successor, and then as Secretary of the Security Council.

Putin first became Prime Minister of Russia in 1999 under President Boris Yeltsin. Later that year, Yeltsin resigned, and Putin became the Acting President of Russia. He won his first presidential election in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. Due to constitutional term limits, Putin did not run for the presidency in 2008 but served as Prime Minister under Dmitry Medvedev. In 2012 and again in 2018, Putin was re-elected as President of Russia