Vladimir Putin's professional career began in the mid-1970s when he joined the KGB, the Soviet Union's main security agency. He served as an intelligence officer, primarily in East Germany, until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he transitioned into politics and became an advisor to the mayor of St. Petersburg.
In 1996, he moved to Moscow, where he held various positions in the government, including Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. In 1999, he was appointed Prime Minister by President Boris Yeltsin. Later that year, he became acting president after Yeltsin's resignation, and he won the presidential election in 2000.
Putin served two consecutive terms as president from 2000 to 2008, then became Prime Minister again under President Dmitry Medvedev. In 2012, he returned to the presidency, a position he has held since, winning subsequent elections amid controversies and allegations of electoral manipulation. Putin's leadership has been marked by efforts to consolidate power, increase Russia's global influence, and assert its position on the world stage.
