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Vladimir Putin
(President of Russia (2000 - 2008, Incumbent Since 2012))
Birth Year: 1952
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Vladimir Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has held various positions of power in Russia since 1999, including serving as prime minister and president. He began his political career in Saint Petersburg before relocating to Moscow to work under President Boris Yeltsin. Putin has been engaged in conflicts against Chechen separatists, led military interventions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria, and received international criticism for his actions, including accusations of war crimes. His rule is marked by authoritarianism, corruption, and human rights abuses.