Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, is one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the world. But how old is Putin exactly? In this in-depth article, we’ll examine Putin’s background, his rise to power, and the key events that have shaped his life and political career. We’ll also take a close look at Putin’s actual birth date and current age to definitively answer the question – how old is Vladimir Putin?
Putin’s Early Life and Childhood
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad, Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). He was the youngest of three children born to Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin and Maria Ivanovna Putina.
| Date of Birth | October 7, 1952 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth | Leningrad, Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia) |
| Parents | Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin (father) Maria Ivanovna Putina (mother) |
Putin had two elder brothers named Albert and Viktor. His mother was a factory worker and his father served in the Soviet Navy.
As a child, Putin grew up in a communal apartment in Leningrad, shared by three families. Food and money were scarce in the years following World War II. In his biography, Putin describes his childhood as fairly rough but notes that the “streets of Leningrad taught me one thing: if a fight is inevitable, you have to hit first.”
Putin’s Early Education and Ambitions
Putin attended Primary School No. 193 and later went on to High School No. 281 in Leningrad where he focused on sports and drama. As a youth, Putin practiced martial arts and excelled at judo and sambo, receiving training from famous Russian coach Anatoly Rakhlin.
Putin had ambitions to work for the KGB even as a young child. He later recalled that as a grade school student, he went to his school’s office and eagerly asked if the KGB had any job openings.
| Primary School | School No. 193, Leningrad |
|---|---|
| High School | School No. 281, Leningrad |
| College | Leningrad State University |
| University Degree | Law degree in 1975 |
After graduating from high school in 1970, Putin entered Leningrad State University where he studied law. He graduated in 1975 with a law degree.
Putin’s KGB Career
Fresh out of college in 1975, Putin achieved his childhood dream and joined the KGB, the Soviet Union’s main security agency. He worked as a spy against Western interests during the Cold War.
Putin underwent espionage and counterintelligence training at the 401st KGB school before carrying out his first assignment in 1985 in Dresden, East Germany. As an undercover KGB agent, Putin tried to recruit sources and steal secrets from the West.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Putin returned to Leningrad where he took on a role protecting the former Chairman of the Leningrad City Council.
He resigned from the KGB in 1991 once the hardliner coup against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev failed. Putin later reflected, “In my heart, I hoped things would turn out differently, but reality turned out crueler than my expectations. The Berlin Wall fell, and the country fell apart too.”
| KGB Career |
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Putin’s Political Rise in Russia
After resigning from the KGB, Putin embarked on a rapid political ascent. He became an advisor on international affairs to Leningrad’s mayor Anatoly Sobchak.
When Sobchak lost the 1996 election, Putin moved to Moscow to work under President Boris Yeltsin. He quickly earned Yeltsin’s trust and respect.
Putin headed up Russia’s FSB security service starting in 1998 and later became Prime Minister. When Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned in 1999, Putin became acting president – a position he was officially elected to months later.
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Putin has continued to dominate Russian politics over the past two decades. He has served as either president or prime minister since 1999, stressing the need for stability in Russia after the tumultuous years following the USSR’s collapse.
Putin’s Current Age
So how old is Vladimir Putin now in 2023?
Putin was born on October 7, 1952, making him 70 years old as of October 2022. He will turn 71 later in 2023.
Here is a quick timeline of Putin’s age over the years:
| Year | Putin’s Age |
|---|---|
| 1952 | 0 (born on October 7) |
| 1975 | 23 (joins KGB) |
| 1991 | 39 (resigns from KGB) |
| 1999 | 47 (becomes acting President) |
| 2000 | 48 (first Presidential term) |
| 2018 | 66 (re-elected as President) |
| 2022 | 70 |
| 2023 | 71 |
So in summary, Vladimir Putin was born in 1952, which makes him 70 years old as of 2022 and 71 years old starting in 2023. He has effectively ruled Russia for over two decades, making major decisions that have reshaped his country and the world. Putin’s longevity at the top levels of Russian politics is remarkable given the turbulence that has marked the post-Soviet period.
Conclusion
Vladimir Putin has had an extraordinary life journey from an impoverished childhood in postwar Leningrad to the highest echelons of power in the Kremlin. He was born in 1952 and lived through the pivotal events of the 20th century that reshaped Russia and the global order.
Putin celebrated his 70th birthday in 2022 and will turn 71 in 2023. Even as he advances into his eighth decade, Putin remains firmly in control of Russia at a time of heightened tensions with the West. His continued dominance reflects his long-cultivated role as a symbol of stability and national pride in the eyes of many Russians.
So while critics may wish for Putin to gracefully exit the political stage, he continues to oversee a resurgent Russia that demands increased respect on the world stage. Putin has vowed to make Russia strong again after the humiliation of the Soviet collapse – a mission he has vigorously pursued during his two decades in power. And at over 70 years old, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is not done yet.