Vladimir Putin Fast Facts
Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a popular but polarizing figure who has dominated Russian politics since he was first elected in 2000. See more photos from his life and career.
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Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin poses for a class photo in 1960. He was born October 7, 1952, in what is now St. Petersburg, Russia.
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Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin dances with a classmate during a party in 1970.
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Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin, bottom, wrestles with a classmate in 1971. He went on to study law at Leningrad State University, and in 1975 he joined the KGB, a Soviet-era spy agency.
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Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin poses with his parents, Vladimir and Maria, in 1985. A year earlier, he was selected to attend the Red Banner Institute of Intelligence, where he learned German and English.
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Photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin
From 1991 to 1994, Putin served as the chairman of St. Petersburg's Foreign Relations Committee. He also served as the city's deputy mayor. Here, Putin stands with St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak during a ceremony in September 1992.
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