No leader in the world is as controversial as Putin. Who is Putin? Vladimir Putin is the longest lasting Russian leader since Joseph Stalin. This pedigree of power is both stunning and somewhat concerning.
Putin is a man of mystery and perhaps groomed for being the leader of Russia. Why? Because Putin was a KGB agent during the Cold War. He was a man of all seasons and stokes fear to this day.
The more we learn about Putin the more fascinating he is to people who do not know about him. Before his political career started, Putin served as a high-ranking officer in the KGB.
Many may associate Putin with a certain image as his background in espionage and intelligence shaped who he was overall. It was Putn who liked gathering information like a spy, which in turn influenced his style of governance and decision-making.
Learn more about Putin and more facts below!
1. Putin grew up and was raised in poverty and hardship

Vladimir Putin was born in October 1952 in the town of Leningrad, Soviet Union. This town is now called Saint Petersburg, Russia. His family background was a struggle as well because Putin’s parents married at 17.
All in all, for Putin, his childhood and rearing were challenging and full of strife post World War Two. Why? The history of his family is quite tragic and difficult.
For example, his father was injured and eventually disabled in some way by a grenade. This left a lasting impression on a young Putin.Moreover, family struggles continued when during the Siege of Leningrad his mother had gotten trapped and nearly starved and died.
The amount of suffering Putin endured greatly affected him and continued. When Putin was born in October 1952 it was preceded by his two brothers dying. His brothers, Viktor and Albert, died during the Siege of Leningrad and in infancy, respectively. Poverty and tragedy were all too common.
After the war, Putin’s father took a factory job and had a lot of struggles. Meanwhile, his mother swept streets and even washed test tubes to make a living. The family lived in a communal apartment with several other families. There was apparently no hot water and lots of rats.
2. There is a claim that Putin wrestled a bear at one point

Fact of fiction perhaps, but there are enough claims that Vladimir Putin wrestled a bear. Seriously, this may be a very wild fact, but there is more proof than many realize. Putin may be seen as macho for many reasons but this is the biggest reason by far!
This remarkable and widely known fact about Vladimir Putin is what makes Putin be seen as fearless and truly tough as a world leader. His legendary encounter with a bear took place in the Siberian wilderness of Russia of course.
Even outside of this wrestling encounter, Putin is keen on nature and bears. There are various photos of Putin fitting a tracking collar on a tranquilized bear in the Arctic from 2010.
Putin’s obsession with bears stem from his love and attention to masculinity. His physical prowess and physical strength is something that Putin gives a lot of importance to overall.
Overall, when Putin showcased his strength and fearlessness, it was a back and forth session of wrestling and grappling with what is reported to be a fully grown bear.
3. Putin is a Black Belt in Karate and trained in Martial Arts

Putin is no weakling in any stretch of the imagination. Why? He relishes in his masculinity. How? Well, he has a real interest in martial arts and karate. Putin is trained as a black belt in judo.
Putin’s interest in karate started when he was young before entering politics in general. Putin excelled in martial arts and it was a strong passion. Putin had achieved the prestigious and very competitive rank of black belt. This is a system of certification and rating in judo, which is considered top level.
Put even has participated and taken part in various international competitions. He is a serious fan and appreciates Karate and martial arts in general. Putin has in the past demonstrated his skill and discipline in this dangerous and often real combat sport.
4. Putin used to be part of the KGB

KGB, this was a committee for State Security in the former Soviet Union. It had been abbreviated as KGB and acted as the main security agency of the Soviet Union. It lasted in the former Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991.
With Putin, he has shown in his life, it's his determination and drive that can take him to higher places in society. The KGB was the beginning for him. Putin as a young KGB agent had started working in the KGB at the end of the Cold War era. What many do not realize as well is that Putin had been recruited as a KGB agent after graduating.
Putin served in the KGB when he was stationed and assigned to be in Dresden, Germany. There are people and experts who claim that Putin was not a viable or important KGB asset. Or perhaps that Putin was a lower level personnel. Anyway, it was quite significant for Putin to be in the KGB even if he was a “low-level cog.”
But even if he didn't wield the greatest amount of influence, Putin's time as a KGB agent was likely to have been incredibly educational and influential.
5. Putin is a big admirer of the British rock band the Beatles

Many may not assume that Putin may even like music let alone rock or pop music. However, Putin does enjoy music, especially the music of the classic band, the Beatles.
In the prior Soviet Union, in Russia, the Beatles were surprisingly very popular when he was younger. It has been reported in various media that Putin even told ex-Beatles vocalist and bassist Paul McCartney the following quote. According to Putin, “The music was very popular, like a breath of fresh air, a window into the outside world.”
Another instance is that Putin In 2007, a British photographer got me more revealing information about Putin and his taste. A reporter was sent to interview Putin to give and create a portrait of Putin for Time Magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ edition and discovered his love for the Beatles.
All in all, people may not know, but Putin discussed music and the Beatles were introduced in the conversation. Moreover, Putin went on to say and proclaim with excitement, “I love the Beatles!” Even more so, Putin offered that his favourite Beatles song was “Yesterday.”
6. Putin had a mentor before becoming more involved with politics

Putin rose in the ranks quickly, And it was after Putin had left the KGB that he actually worked at Leningrad State University. It was Putin’s small tenure and position of change that brought him to his mentor, Anatoly Sobchak.
Putin found his mentor in the short time before he would start his career in politics. When Putin was a student and employee at Leningrad, Putin had made a strong friendship with Anatoly Sobchak. Why is Sobchak important? Because Sobchak was the first democratically elected mayor of Leningrad. Today, Leningrad is now called St. Petersburg.
The meeting with his mentor, Putin introduced politics and government. So, at this time Putin became an official advisor to Sobchak in a governmental role. It was at this time that Putin began to make a name for himself. Also, Putin began to set the stage and platform for his political rise to the most power in Russia.
7. Putin is well educated and fluent in more than several languages

The education of Putin is often overlooked overall because he knows many languages. As we heard about this mentor we should also remember his overall degrees. In 1975, he graduated from Leningrad State University with a law degree. Moreover, Putin went to and graduated from the Leningrad Mining Institute. It was there that Putin earned a Kandidat Nauk degree, which is similar to a PhD.
What languages does Putin speak? He is fluent in Russian, German, and English! Of course without question Putin would be fluent in Russian. However, he has knowledge of German and English. In his career, Putin’s language prowess has helped him to excel. He has been able to communicate effectively with foreign leaders and to manage challenging international negotiations.
Lastly, Putin is regarded for his Russian mastery. Moreover, Putin’s speeches are more often interpreted by his powerful and nationalist topics.
8. Putin is well known more than ever because of the war in Ukraine

The Ukraine war rages on and many people associate Putin with this conflict. The conflict in Ukraine and now full out war began in 2022. The invasion by Russia is seen as a big benchmark for Putin and Russia in general.
Since the initial invasion, Putin has become more and more enemy number 1 to the public. In retrospect, in the last 2 years Putin has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has caused a lot of damage and deaths.
Today, Vladimir Putin continues to say that all his goals are attainable. As payback, Western countries from the UK to Germany have announced sanctions on Russia. including restrictions on Russia's central bank and expelling key banks off the main global payments system.
Unfortunately, with Putin wanting to keep Ukraine away from NATO and Western Europe it has suffered. In general, Putin has not been flexible in how he will declare victory on battlefield developments and battles within Ukraine and beyond.Putin and his goals have been criticized worldwide. Because Putin’s objectives are about weakening or disrupting Ukraine’s ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Moreover Putin does want to try and suppress Ukrainian nationalism, and expand territorial gains.
9. Despite Putin’s dedication to Russia, Putin is known as a dictator against Freedom

Putin’s reputation can be at once negative and positive. To some Russians he represents the bravery and pride that many would associate with a proud man who wants to protect and nurture his country. However, Putin has led or controlled Russia for more than 2 decades. Putin has either been prime Minister or its president. Is this fair? Many make accusations about Putin all the time.
Putin’s time in power means that opposition has been challenged and even more sometimes even imprisoned and much more. The threat of violence if you go against Putin is high but has never been outright confirmed. But, like Israel, Russia has seen a lot of controversy about having one leader for 2 decades and more.
The list of Russians who have been possibly killed in suspicious ways after opposing, criticizing Putin, the Kremlin, or the state is extensive. Opponents of Putin like Aleksei Navalny, who were imprisoned, often fought against official corruption. These people often established anti-Kremlin protests,which did not make Putin happy.
Lastly, in Eastern Europe, territorial tensions and general crackdowns on political freedoms have been linked to Putin’s public perception as totalitarian .
10. Putin loves Ice Hockey and many other sports

Not only does Putin love hockey, but he loves Judo and many sports. For example, at only 21, Putin was a judo champion of Leningrad. Putin even went so far to help put together a book, ‘Learning Judo with Vladimir Putin’ to teach the basics of the sport.
A big love for Putin’s is surely ice hockey. His talents have garnered a lot of attention. Putin even went so far to do exhibition games to display his speed and prowess as a hockey player. Putin even would play alongside former NHL players. Putin has performed gala ice hockey games as well in Sochi and other cities.
There was even an event that featured Putin with former NHL hockey players. Putin was reported to have scored 8 goals in an exhibition hockey game with current and former NHL players. Clearly, Putin wants to be known as a man of action in politics and in sports.
You may also be interested in,