THE USSR. Life under Stalin

Biography of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Childhood

Simple family

Vladimir Putin was born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad. "I'm from a simple family, and I've lived this life for a very long time, practically my whole adult life. I lived as an ordinary normal person, and I always have this connection, "Putin recalled.

Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin

Mother Maria Ivanovna

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

The mother of Vladimir Putin - Maria Ivanovna Shelomova - was a very gentle benevolent person.

"We lived modestly. Therefore, soup, cutlets, and pancakes. And on Sundays and holidays, my mother baked pies with cabbage, with meat, with rice and cheesecakes, very tasty, "- says Putin.

Mom did not approve of his decision to do judo. "Every time I went to training, she would say:" Again I went to fight my own way. " The situation was corrected by his coach, who came home and told his parents what he does and what he achieved, after which the attitude towards employment in this sport in the family changed.

Mom baked pies with cabbage, with meat, with rice and cheesecakes, very tasty.

V. Putin
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Father Vladimir Spiridonovich

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

Vladimir Putin's father - Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin - a participant in the war, served in the protection of the car building factory in the 1950s, later was a master at the plant.

"Father was born in St. Petersburg in 1911. When the First World War began, it became difficult to live in St. Petersburg, it was hungry, and the whole family went to the village of Pominovo in the Tver region, to the home of my grandmother. The house where they lived, by the way, still stands, relatives go there to rest. In the same place, in Pominovo, my father met my mother. They got married when they were 17 years old, "Putin said.

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Postwar years

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

After the war, Putin's family settled in a room in a communal apartment, in the usual St. Petersburg house in Baskov Lane. Vladimir Putin recalls: "The yard is a well, the fifth floor without an elevator. Before the war, the parents had a half-house in Peterhof. They were very proud of the standard of living that they achieved. Although what a level it was! But it seemed to them that this was almost the limit of dreams. "

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1960s

School years

Was a bully, not a pioneer

From 1960 to 1968, Vladimir Putin studied at the eight-year school No. 193 in Leningrad. After the eighth grade, he entered secondary school No. 281 (special school with a chemical bias on the basis of a technological institute), which he graduated in 1970.

Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin

I was always late for the first lesson, so even in winter I did not have time to get dressed properly.

V. Putin

Teacher Vera Dmitrievna Gurevich

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

From the first to the eighth grade Vladimir Putin studied at the 193rd school. He remembers that he was a hooligan, not a pioneer.

His teacher, Vera Dmitrievna Gurevich, said: "In the 5th grade he was not very much showing himself, but I felt that there is potential, energy, and character in him. I saw a great interest in the language, he easily grasped. He had a very good memory, a flexible mind.

I thought: this boy will be good. Decided to give him more attention, do not give the opportunity to communicate with the courtyard boys. "

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Priority search

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

Prior to the sixth grade, Putin did not have much interest in learning. His teacher, Vera Dmitrievna Gurevich, understood that a boy could learn better, without triples.

She even met with his father, that he somehow influenced his son. But this did not help much. Vladimir Putin himself has dramatically changed his attitude towards employment in the sixth grade.

Putin says: "Other priorities have already begun to appear, it was necessary to assert itself in sport, to achieve something, there were other goals. This, of course, had a very strong effect. "

Potential, energy, character

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

In the sixth grade, Putin set himself the goal that something must be achieved in life. He began to study without the triples, which was easy for him. Then he was accepted into the pioneers, and immediately after that he became chairman of the detachment's council.

"It became clear that courtyard skills are not enough - and began to play sports. But this resource to maintain its, so to speak, status sufficed for a short time. It was also necessary to study well, "- says Putin.

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1970s

Higher education

Leningrad State University and the KGB High School

In 1970, Vladimir Putin entered the law faculty of Leningrad State University, which graduated in 1975. In the late 70's - early 80's, Putin graduated from the Moscow Higher School of the KGB No. 1.

Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin

Even before I left school, I had a desire to work in intelligence. True, soon I wanted to become a sailor. But then again as a scout. And at the very beginning I really wanted to be a pilot.

V. Putin

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Sailor? Pilot? Scout.

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

Even before Vladimir Putin graduated from high school, he had a desire to work in intelligence. To learn how to become scouts, he went to the KGB Department's reception room. There he was told that first you either need to serve in the army, or graduate high school, preferably the law faculty.

"And from that moment I began to prepare for the law faculty of the Leningrad University," Putin says.

Other incentives, other values

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

In 1970, Vladimir Putin entered the law faculty of the Leningrad State University. "The course consisted of 100 people, and only 10 of them were taken immediately after school. The rest - after the army. Therefore, for us, the schoolchildren, the competition was somewhere around 40 people per seat. I got a four from the composition, but I passed all the others to the top five - and passed, "Putin says.

"When I started to study at the university, there were other incentives, other values, I mostly focused on studying, and I already considered sport as secondary. But I trained, of course, regularly, and participated in all-Union competitions, though somehow by inertia, or something, "he recalls.

Bodies of State Security

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

After Putin graduated from Leningrad State University, he was taken to work in the state security agencies. "My ideas about the KGB arose on the basis of romantic stories about the work of scouts," - says Putin.

He was first assigned to the secretariat of the Office, then to the counter-intelligence unit, where he worked for about five months. Six months later he was sent to retraining courses for the operational staff.

Another half a year, Putin worked in the counter-intelligence unit.

It was then that foreign intelligence officers drew attention to him. "Quite quickly went to special training in Moscow, where he stayed for a year. Then he returned to Leningrad again, worked there, as they used to say, in the first department. The first main administration is intelligence. In this department there were divisions in the large cities of the Union, including in Leningrad. There I worked about four and a half years ", - he recalls.

Then Putin again went to Moscow to study at the Andropov Red Banner Institute, where he was trained to travel to Germany.

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1980s

Wedding and Germany

Something in him was such ...

After graduating from the Andropov Red Banner Institute, where Vladimir Putin was trained to travel to Germany, in 1985 he left for the GDR and worked there until 1990. But before leaving, there was more than one important event in his life ...

Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin

Ludmila's wife

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

Vladimir Putin and Lyudmila Shkrebnev was introduced by a mutual friend. Lyudmila worked as a stewardess on the domestic lines and flew with a friend to Leningrad for three days.

"Somehow, when I was already working in the first unit in St. Petersburg, a friend called me and said that he was inviting me to the theater for Arkady Raikin. He has tickets, the girls will. They descended. Girls really were. The next day they went to the theater again. I already got tickets. And the third is the same. I started to meet with one of them. We became friends. With Luda, my future wife, "- says Putin. "Something, apparently, in Volodya was such that it attracted me. After three or four months, I already decided that he was the person I needed, "Lyudmila recalls. Three years after his acquaintance, Vladimir made an offer to Lyudmila. "I realized that if I do not marry for another two or three years, I will never marry. Although, of course, the habit of bachelor life has developed. Lyudmila eradicated it, "Putin admits.

July 28, 1983 they were married.

We became friends. With Lyuda, my future wife.

V. Putin

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Daughters Maria and Katerina

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

In 1985, before leaving for Germany, Vladimir and Lyudmila Putinykh had a daughter, Maria. The younger Katerina was born in 1986 - already in Dresden.

Both girls were named in honor of their grandmothers: Maria Ivanovna Putina and Ekaterina Tikhonovna Shkrebneva.

According to their mother, Lyudmila, Putin is very fond of daughters. "Not all men are as touching with their children as he is. And he always spoiled them, and I had to educate, "- she says.

Dresden

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

In 1985-1990, Vladimir Putin worked in the GDR. He served in the territorial intelligence service in Dresden. On length of service he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and in the post to the senior assistant to the chief of the department. And in 1989 he was awarded a bronze medal "For outstanding service to the National People's Army of the GDR".

"I had a good job. It was considered normal if, during work in foreign missions, there was one promotion. I was promoted twice, "Putin said.
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1990s

From the Assistant to the Rector of Leningrad State University to the Acting President of the Russian Federation

Leningrad - Moscow

After returning from Germany to Leningrad, Vladimir Putin, since 1990, served as an assistant to the rector of the Leningrad State University for International Affairs. In 1996, he moved with his family to Moscow, where he began his political career.

Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin Photos from personal archive of Vladimir Putin

Leningrad - St. Petersburg

Vladimir Putin

In 1990, after returning from Dresden to Leningrad, Vladimir Putin became an assistant to the rector of the Leningrad State University on international issues. "I gladly went" under the roof "of the Leningrad State University in writing to write a candidate, see how and what, and maybe stay to work at Leningrad State University. So, in the 90th I became an assistant to the university rector for international relations, "Putin recalled.

Soon he became an adviser to the chairman of the Leningrad City Council.

Since June 1991, Mr .. Putin began to work as chairman of the Committee on External Relations of the Mayor's Office of St. Petersburg and simultaneously - since 1994 - the first deputy chairman of the government of St. Petersburg.

After moving to work in the mayor's office of Leningrad, Putin filed a report on dismissal from the KGB of the USSR.

Perhaps it helped that I did not want to be any President.
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Moscow. Premier with a perspective

Vladimir Putin at the Government House.

In 1996, Vladimir Putin moved with his family to Moscow, as he was offered the post of deputy administrator of the President of the Russian Federation. "I can not say that I did not like Moscow. I just loved Peter more. But Moscow, obviously, is a European city, "Putin recalled.

His career developed rapidly. In March 1997, Putin became deputy head of the Presidential Administration, head of the Main Control Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation. Despite the workload, in 1997 he defended his Ph.D. in economics at the St. Petersburg State Mining Institute. In May 1998, Putin was already the first deputy head of the Presidential Administration, in July 1998 he was appointed director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, simultaneously - in March 1999 - secretary of the Russian Security Council.

And in August 1999, Vladimir Putin became the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. This post was suggested to him by the President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin.

Putin recalls this: "Boris Nikolayevich invited me to his place and said that he has an idea to offer me the post of Prime Minister. <...> By the way, in a conversation with me he did not utter the words "successor". Yeltsin talked about "Premiere with a perspective" that if everything goes well, he would consider this possible. "

According to Putin, in this post he was interested and honored to work: "I thought, well, I'll work a year, and that's good. If I help save Russia from collapse, then this can be proud. "

Acting President of the Russian Federation

Photos from Vladimir Putin's personal archive

Before the new year 2000, Russian President Boris Yeltsin invited Vladimir Putin to become Acting President.

"A week or two before the New Year, Boris Nikolayevich invited me to his office and said that he had decided to leave. Thus, I will have to become an acting president, "Putin recalled.

According to him, it was difficult for him to make a decision, because this is a "rather difficult fate."

"On the one hand, there are internal arguments. But there is another logic. The fate is such that you can work at the highest level in the country and for the country. And it's stupid to say: no, I will sell seeds, or not, I will take up private law practice. Well, then you can do it, after all. First, work here, then there, "Putin explains his choice.

December 31, 1999 Vladimir Putin becomes acting President of the Russian Federation

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2000s

President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

To think always about the future, always look ahead

On March 26, 2000, Vladimir Putin was elected President of the Russian Federation, on March 14, 2004 he was elected President of the Russian Federation for a second term. On May 8, 2008, by the Presidential Decree, he was appointed Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin speaking at a gala evening dedicated to the Day of Militia Vladimir Putin speaking at a gala night dedicated to the Day of the Militia.

President of Russian Federation

Vladimir Putin at the inauguration ceremony.

Vladimir Putin was elected President of the Russian Federation on March 26, 2000. On May 7, 2000, he took office.

In his inaugural address, Vladimir Putin said: "We have common goals, we want our Russia to be a free, prosperous, rich, strong, civilized country, a country proud of its citizens and respected in the world." He added that in his activities he will be guided exclusively by state interests. "Perhaps it will not be possible to avoid mistakes, but what I can promise and promise is that I will work openly and honestly," Putin said.

I consider it my sacred duty to rally the people of Russia, to gather citizens around clear goals and tasks, and every day and every minute remember that we have one Motherland, one people, we have one common future.

V. Putin

Elected by the President of the Russian Federation for a second term

Vladimir Putin during the inauguration ceremony of the President of the Russian Federation.

On March 14, 2004, he was elected President of the Russian Federation for a second term. In his address to the Federal Assembly on May 26, 2004, Putin, in particular, stated: "Our goals are absolutely clear. This - a high standard of living in the country, life - safe, free and comfortable. It is a mature democracy and a developed civil society. This is - strengthening Russia's position in the world, and most importantly, I repeat - a significant increase in the well-being of citizens.

Today we know our own possibilities better. We know what resources we have. We understand that in achieving these goals, we can be prevented. And we are actively modernizing the state, seeking to match its functions to the modern stage of Russia's development, a stage that provides a much higher standard of living. "

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Appointed Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Putin approved by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Putin was confirmed by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

On May 8, 2008, by presidential decree, Vladimir Putin was appointed Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

"In recent years, Russia has significantly strengthened. We have sufficient resource potential to solve even more complex problems. The point is that the potential we have accumulated should be used competently, effectively, properly. For my part, I am ready to make every effort to achieve my goals. To obtain new and meaningful results, in the name of prosperity of the country and a dignified life of Russian citizens, "Putin said at a meeting of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

2010th

As Prime Minister

There should be a person in the center of attention

In the center of attention of the Premiere is a man. According to Putin, the government should rely only on the Russian people, and if there is no such support, then there is nothing to do in power. In November 2011, Vladimir Putin was nominated as a candidate for President of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin met with victims of fires in Voronezh Vladimir Putin met with victims of fires in Voronezh.

Under personal control

Vladimir Putin visited the sites for the removal of peat fires in the Moscow region of Kolomna.

Vladimir Putin took personal control of the situation in support of citizens who suffered from forest fires in the summer of 2010.

Thus, round-the-clock monitoring of the construction of houses for fire victims was organized. At each significant site, CCTV cameras were installed, working around the clock. Three monitors were withdrawn: one to the Government House, the other to Vladimir Putin's home, and the third to the Government's website. Relatives of those killed in the fires were paid 1 million rubles of compensation, and each member of the family that suffered from fires paid 100 thousand rubles each. All fire victims before the onset of winter received new houses and apartments, or, if desired, monetary compensation. 2,2 thousand families have built new houses.

If I undertake something, I try to bring the matter either to its logical conclusion, or, at least, to bring this case to maximum effect.

V. Putin

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Social measures

Vladimir Putin visited JSC "Amur Shipyard".

Vladimir Putin actively supports the implementation of measures to develop the agro-industrial complex. "We step by step become sovereign owners in our food, agrarian market. And all this is the result of the development of the domestic agro-industrial complex, a visible embodiment of the work of Russian grain growers, livestock producers, processors, "he said.

Priority for Putin is also the support of military personnel. By 2013, the incomes and military pensions of servicemen will significantly increase, and they will be provided with housing.

September 5, 2011, Vladimir Putin said that during the 2011-2012 school year in all regions of Russia without exception, the salary of teachers should reach the average salary for the economy in the region. The process of increasing the salaries of teachers, he took under personal control.

Candidate for President

Vladimir Putin took part in the work of the congress of the All-Russia political party "United Russia".

The participants of the second stage of the 12th congress of the United Russia Party approved Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as a presidential candidate.

On March 4, 2012, Vladimir Putin was elected President of the Russian Federation.