Vladimir Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as the President of Russia since 2012.
Putin worked as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel before resigning in 1991 to begin a political career in Saint Petersburg.
He later moved to Moscow in 1996 to join the administration of President Boris Yeltsin.
Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999.
He was prime minister from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2012, and he served as president from 2000 to 2008 and since 2012.
He has overseen a vast nuclear weapons arsenal and has played a significant role in shaping Russia’s domestic and foreign policies.
Putin has been a controversial figure, both within Russia and internationally.
He has been praised by some for his strong leadership and efforts to restore Russia’s influence on the world stage.
However, he has also faced criticism for his handling of political dissent, human rights issues, and alleged interference in other countries’ affairs.
It is important to note that the perception of Vladimir Putin can vary depending on the source and individual perspectives.
Vladimir Putin wife
Putin was married to Lyudmila Shkrebneva from 1983 until their divorce in 2014, and had at least two daughters, Maria and Katerina.
Putin has been rumored to have a romantic relationship with Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast, for more than a decade.
Kabaeva is thought to have had at least three children with Putin.
However, Putin has never publicly acknowledged a relationship with Kabaeva, and the Kremlin has denied rumors of their romantic involvement.
In August 2022, the United States sanctioned Kabaeva as part of an effort to “impose severe costs for those who support President Putin’s war”.
Vladimir Putin and Lyudmila Shkrebneva divorce
Putin and his wife Lyudmila announced their divorce on June 6, 2013, after 30 years of marriage.
The announcement was made on Russian state television after the couple attended a ballet performance.
Putin stated that it was a joint decision, as they hardly saw each other and each had their own life.
Lyudmila had rarely been seen in public in recent months, which had prompted much speculation in Russian media.
Neither Putin nor Lyudmila clarified whether or not their marriage had been legally dissolved, but Lyudmila referred to the separation as a “civilised divorce”.
The Head of State’s spokesman later clarified that the Putins were not yet legally divorced and that he did not know when the divorce proceedings would be finalized.
Putin stated that they would always be very close to each other and that he was sure they would be forever.
The divorce was considered a taboo in Russian politics.
Putin and Lyudmila had last been seen in public together at Putin’s inauguration for his third term as president on May 7, 2012.
The Russian President met Lyudmila Shkrebneva, who worked as a flight attendant, through a mutual friend when she stopped off in Leningrad for a few days.
They married on July 28, 1983.