The Man, The Myth, The Putin
Most Americans Know Very Little About the Russian Leader
Russia has been in the news quite a bit recently. This, of course, has led to increased attention and scrutiny directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin. Most Americans know Putin as the President of Russia, and many even know that he was once a KGB officer, but there is so much more to Putin than that.
Here, in an effort to find answers to what makes Putin tick, we’ll explore some of his past, the positions he’s held and what he’s done with them, as well as discuss some of his more interesting character traits. By the end, you may understand what makes him such a divisive international figure.
Putin has Been in Power Since 1999
In 1999, former Russia President Boris Yeltsin resigned. Putin, who had been serving as the acting Prime Minister, became the acting President and three months later, after elections were held, he officially won the Presidency with 53% of the vote. He was reelected in 2004, but could not run for a third term as President in 2008 due to term limits.
He was, however, eligible to be appointed Prime Minister, and the day after his Presidential term expired that’s exactly what happened. Putin worked as Prime Minister until 2012 when, for some reason that I’m sure was entirely above the board, he was allowed to run for President again. He won the election, (in the face of massive protests and accusations regarding fraud) and here we sit.
He Was an Agent in the KGB
This is something that many Americans are vaguely aware of, but still more do not know! Putin actually worked for Russian intelligence for over 15 years, right up until the collapse of the Soviet Union. He worked in Leningrad, where he kept tabs on foreigners and officials, like this one here!
Anyway, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin gave up his intelligence career, stopped with all the shady operations, and became a more straight-line, government man, eventually becoming Russian President. He was not involved in anything questionably criminal ever and definitely did not shove his way unexpectedly into power.
He Went to High School with Donald Trump
This is a truly interesting factoid that almost no Americans are aware of! During his sophomore year of high school, Putin traveled to the United States and attended a private boarding school, the New York Military Academy, as a foreign exchange student!
This is one of the reasons why Putin and Trump have become such fast friends on the scene of international politics, they go way back! In fact, various reports from the school state that Trump used to carry Putin’s books for him and do his laundry, presumably because he was trying to help the young Russian lad adjust to life in the US.
More curious reports claim that Putin used to make Trump call him “Great Universal Overlord” and that Trump once helped him knock down the bedroom wall between Putin’s room and a Ukrainian exchange student’s room, though those claims are disputed.
He is an Avid Outdoorsman
Putin has been known to spend an extensive amount of time hunting, fishing, and just plain hanging out in the great outdoors. In fact, he’s been rumored to have excellent tracking skills, something that his intelligence background has likely assisted him with!
That, combined with the power of the Russian Government’s cyber network, has helped Putin find old friends, ex-girlfriends, political opponents, presidential candidates, and celebrities. It’s common for Putin to show up at places like high school basketball games, secret anti-Putin political meetings, and even average citizens’ homes to drop in on them for dinner or a glass of milk.
He doesn’t always go himself, sometimes he sends others, but they usually send the message he wishes to convey.
He Knows Where You Live
Most Americans are unaware of this, but due to the skill of Russian hackers, combined with his outstanding outdoorsmanship, Putin actually knows where you live. That’s right, you! In fact, he’s likely using your IP address right now to verify you’re there.
Not at home? Working? Perhaps commuting? Putin isn’t concerned, he’s a former spy trained in locating and tracking individuals based on their patterns of movement! It’s very likely he has a strong understanding of your daily itinerary!
He Does Not Appreciate Your Criticism
Few Americans understand that Putin knows you’ve been reading this and laughing/giggling/half-smiling at a satirical biography of his life. He knows you shrugged and made that weird face when you read the part about him dropping in on his political opponents. He’s not fond of the fact that you believed he really went to high school with Donald Trump for a second.
And he definitely does not appreciate those things you said about how dangerous it was for Trump to align the United States with an authoritarian dictator who kills his own citizens, the press, and his detractors, all while intentionally throwing off the global balance in an effort to exude more power and influence.
He’s Standing Behind You Right Now
Almost no Americans know that right now, at this instant, Vladimir Putin is standing right behind you.
