00:00Early life and KGB career. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on October 7, 1952, in Leningrad, Russia.
00:09He studied law at Leningrad State University, where he became acquainted with Anatoly Sobchak, a prominent reformist politician.
00:17After graduating, Putin joined the KGB, the Soviet Union's security and intelligence agency, where he served for 15 years, including a six-year stint in Dresden, East Germany.
00:28In 1990, he retired from active KGB service with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and returned to Russia to become pro-rector of Leningrad State University with responsibility for the institution's external relations.
00:42Soon afterward, Putin became an advisor to Sobchak, the first democratically elected mayor of St. Petersburg.
00:48He quickly won Sobchak's confidence and became known for his ability to get things done. By 1994, he had risen to the post of first deputy mayor.
00:58Rise to power. In 1996, Putin moved to Moscow and joined the presidential staff as deputy to Pavel Borodin, the Kremlin's chief administrator.
01:08He grew close to fellow Leningrader Anatoly Chubey and moved up in administrative positions.
01:13In July 1998, President Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin as director of the Federal Security Service, FSB, the KGB's domestic successor, and shortly thereafter, he became secretary of the Influential Security Council.
01:29Yeltsin, searching for a successor, appointed Putin as prime minister in 1999.
01:34Following Yeltsin's resignation on December 31, 1999, Putin became acting president and won the subsequent election in March 2000 with about 53% of the vote.
01:46Leadership and Policies.
01:48As president, Putin's centralized power reasserted control over Russia's regions and reduced the influence of oligarchs and media tycoons.
01:56He also reintroduced highly centralized, top-down control within Russia, tightening the Kremlin's grip on mass media and the internet.
02:05By some estimates, the state came to control as much as 70% of the Russian economy.
02:11Putin's administration has been characterized by a blend of strategic maneuvers, military aggression against neighboring countries, and controversial policies.
02:19Foreign policy and military actions.
02:22Putin's foreign policy has been marked by assertiveness and the desire to reassert Russia's influence on the global stage.
02:29Notably, Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and launched a proxy war in Ukraine in 2014, followed by a full-scale invasion in 2022.
02:39These actions have led to widespread international condemnation and sanctions.
02:43Despite these challenges, Putin has maintained a strong grip on power, leveraging nationalism and military strength to bolster his position domestically.
02:53May God guide President Putin with wisdom and compassion in all his decisions.
02:58We pray for peace in his heart and peace for the people he leads.
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