Define the Following Terms: Vladimir Putin

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The Answer is Vladimir Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as the President of Russia since 2012, and previously from 2000 to 2008. He also held the position of Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Putin is known for his centralization of power, his leadership style, and his role in shaping post-Soviet Russia.

Born on October 7, 1952, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Putin graduated from Leningrad State University in 1975 with a degree in law. He began his career in the KGB, the Soviet Union's main security agency, where he worked for 16 years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Putin retired from active KGB service and entered politics in Saint Petersburg.

In 1996, he moved to Moscow and quickly rose through the political ranks, becoming the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the KGB, and later the Secretary of the Security Council. In August 1999, President Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin as Prime Minister, and by the end of the year, Yeltsin had resigned, appointing Putin as acting President.

Putin won his first presidential election in March 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. Due to constitutional term limits, he could not run for a third consecutive term in 2008, so he became Prime Minister under President Dmitry Medvedev, who had been his chosen successor. In 2012, Putin was re-elected as President after a controversial change in the law that extended the presidential term from four to six years. He was re-elected again in 2018.

During his tenure, Putin has pursued an assertive foreign policy, most notably the annexation of Crimea in 2014, which led to international sanctions against Russia. His government has also been accused of human rights violations and suppressing political dissent. Domestically, Putin has focused on economic reforms, national security, and restoring Russia's global influence. His leadership has been marked by a strong centralized government and control over the media, which has been criticized by some as authoritarian.

Putin's impact on Russia and his role in international affairs have made him one of the most significant and controversial global figures of the early 21st century.

Define the Following Terms: Vladimir Putin

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