Saturday, March 29, 2025
Author: Gill bjs
Updated: December 4, 2025 | 13:16 IST
Vladimir Putin — a name counted among the world’s most powerful leaders — did not emerge from privilege or power. His rise from a modest, crowded apartment in Leningrad to the presidency of Russia is often described as nothing short of a political thriller. Today, after serving five presidential terms, Putin stands only behind Joseph Stalin in terms of longevity in power in Russian history. But his journey began far from luxury or political influence.
Born seven years after World War II, Putin grew up in extremely harsh circumstances. The siege of Leningrad had taken the life of his elder brother, and his parents had barely survived. Putin spent his childhood in a kommunalka — a communal apartment where several families shared kitchens and bathrooms.
Young Putin was far from a disciplined child. He often got into street fights, ran wild in the neighborhood, and described himself as a “hooligan.” This rough upbringing taught him early lessons about survival.
One story from Putin’s childhood reveals a defining moment. Their building was infested with rats. One day, Putin chased a large rat down a corridor with a stick. Cornered against a wall, the rat suddenly turned and fiercely attacked him. Shocked, Putin fled.
Years later, Putin said this moment taught him a lifelong lesson:
“If you corner someone, expect them to fight back.”
This philosophy would go on to influence his strategic worldview.
Constantly bullied by boys bigger than him, Putin began learning judo and Russian martial art sambo. He once said street fights in Leningrad taught him one rule:
“If the fight is inevitable, strike first.”
This mindset became central to his later political rhetoric.
Putin went on to study law at Leningrad State University and joined the Soviet intelligence agency KGB in 1975, fulfilling his fascination with spy novels. He served abroad, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, but his work remained routine. A senior former colleague once described him as “an ordinary intelligence officer.”
After leaving the KGB in 1991, Putin became deputy to Anatoly Sobchak, the mayor of Leningrad. Putin earned Sobchak’s trust and became his closest aide. After Sobchak lost power, Putin moved to Moscow and joined the presidential administration under Boris Yeltsin.
Putin’s rise from here was swift. He briefly headed the Federal Security Service (FSB) and then became secretary of the Security Council — positions that gave him direct access to the president.
In 1999, Russia faced a series of apartment bombings linked to Chechen separatists. Putin launched a military campaign, regained control over Chechnya, and gained massive popularity across Russia.
On December 31, 1999, President Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned and named Putin the acting president. Three months later, Putin won his first presidential election.
Putin won again in 2004, but the constitution barred him from a third consecutive term. So, from 2008 to 2012, he became prime minister while Dmitry Medvedev served as president. In 2012 and 2018, he returned to the presidency.
A later constitutional amendment reset his presidential terms, allowing him to continue in office for potentially many more years.
