Who is Vladimir Putin?

 Vladimir Putin is the President of the Russian Federation, a position he has held since 2012. He was previously President from 2000 to 2008 and served as the Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000. Putin has also served as the chairman of the United Russia party and as the head of the Federal Security Service, the successor agency to the KGB. He is a controversial figure, both within Russia and internationally, and his leadership style has been described as authoritarian.