Career Timeline of Vladimir Putin: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Vladimir Putin made an impact.
Vladimir Putin is a Russian politician who has dominated Russian politics for over two decades. He served as President from 2000 to 2008, then as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012, and again as President from 2012 to the present. Before entering politics, Putin was an intelligence officer. His long tenure makes him the longest-serving Russian president since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
1960: US Cancels Summit After Snowden Asylum
In late 2013, Russian-American relations deteriorated further when the United States canceled a summit for the first time since 1960 after Putin gave asylum to American Edward Snowden, who had leaked classified information from the NSA.
1972: Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Following the 9/11 attacks, Putin supported the U.S. in the War on Terror, but the U.S. later withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
1975: Joined the KGB
In 1975, Putin joined the KGB and trained at the 401st KGB School in Okhta, Leningrad.
September 1984: Further Training in Moscow
In September 1984, Putin was sent to Moscow for further training at the Yuri Andropov Red Banner Institute.
1985: Posted to Dresden
From 1985, Putin served in Dresden, East Germany, using a cover identity as a translator.
November 1989: Fall of Berlin Wall
In November 1989, during the fall of the Berlin Wall, Putin reportedly saved files from the Soviet Cultural Center and the KGB villa in Dresden.
1989: Confrontations with Anti-Communist Protesters
In 1989, Putin recounted his confrontations with anti-communist protestors in Dresden.
May 1990: Advisor on International Affairs
In May 1990, Putin was appointed as an advisor on international affairs to Mayor Anatoly Sobchak in Saint Petersburg.
1990: End of Dresden Service
In 1990, Putin's service in Dresden, East Germany came to an end.
1990: Return to Leningrad
In early 1990, after the collapse of the East German government, Putin returned to Leningrad and worked with the International Affairs section of Leningrad State University.
June 1991: Head of Committee for External Relations
In June 1991, Putin became the head of the Committee for External Relations of the Saint Petersburg Mayor's Office.
August 1991: Resignation from KGB
On August 20, 1991, the second day of the Soviet coup attempt, Putin resigned from the KGB with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
1991: Resignation from KGB
In 1991, Putin resigned from the KGB and started his political career in Saint Petersburg.
1994: Eurasian Union concept proposed
In 1994, the president of Kazakhstan proposed the concept of the Eurasian Union, which Putin later endorsed in 2011.
1996: Retained Position Until 1996
Despite investigations, Putin retained his position until 1996.
1996: Move to Moscow
In 1996, Putin moved to Moscow to join Boris Yeltsin's administration.
1997: Deputy Chief of Presidential Staff
In 1997, Putin was appointed deputy chief of the Presidential Staff.
1998: Director of the FSB
In 1998, President Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin director of the FSB.
August 1999: Appointed Prime Minister
In August 1999, Putin was appointed as Prime Minister of Russia.
August 1999: Appointment as First Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister
In August 1999, Vladimir Putin's profile rose significantly when he was appointed as one of the three First Deputy Prime Ministers and subsequently became the acting Prime Minister after Sergei Stepashin's cabinet was dismissed.
December 1999: "Russia at the Turn of the Millenium" document published
In December 1999, Putin's document "Russia at the Turn of the Millenium" appeared on the government's website, outlining his foreign policy objectives.
1999: Prime Minister of Russia
In 1999, Putin served as Prime Minister of Russia.
1999: Start of the Reform Years
In 1999, Sergey Guriyev marked the beginning of the "reform" years (1999-2003) as the first period of Putin's economic policy.
March 2000: Winning the presidential election
In March 2000, Vladimir Putin won the presidential election after being endorsed by Yeltsin as his preferred successor.
May 2000: Elected President
In May 2000, Putin was elected to his first term as president.
May 2000: Putin's visit to Tashkent
In May 2000, Vladimir Putin visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan, signaling improved relations after a period of lukewarm engagement under Yeltsin. Uzbekistan, under Islam Karimov, had previously distanced itself from Moscow.
May 2000: Decree Organizing Federal Subjects
On 13 May 2000, Putin issued a decree organizing the 89 federal subjects of Russia into seven administrative federal districts, appointing a presidential envoy for each district.
May 2000: Inauguration as President
On 7 May 2000, Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as president of Russia.
July 2000: Putin Gains Right to Dismiss Heads of Federal Subjects
In July 2000, a law proposed by Putin and approved by the Federal Assembly of Russia granted Putin the authority to dismiss the heads of the 89 federal subjects.
2000: Putin Re-establishes Ties with Cuba
Earlier in 2000, Putin had re-established stronger ties with Fidel Castro's Cuba.
2000: First Presidential Term
In 2000, Putin began his first term as President of Russia.
2000: Launch of Socio-Economic Development Programme
In 2000, Putin launched the "Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the Period 2000–2010".
2000: Election Campaign Managed by Litvinenko
In 2000, Vladimir Litvinenko managed Putin's presidential election campaign in St Petersburg.
2000: Co-authorship of "Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin" (Russian edition)
In 2000, Vladimir Putin co-authored a book titled "Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin" in Russian.
2003: End of the Reform Years
In 2003, Sergey Guriyev marked the end of the "reform" years (1999-2003) as the first period of Putin's economic policy.
2003: UK Grants Asylum to Berezovsky
In 2003, relations between Russia and the United Kingdom deteriorated when the United Kingdom granted political asylum to Putin's former patron, oligarch Boris Berezovsky.
2003: Putin's Favorability Increases in the U.S.
In February 2017, a Gallup poll revealed a positive view of Putin among 22% of Americans, the highest since 2003, following the election of Donald Trump.
2003: Litvinenko became an MI6 agent
The end of 2006 brought more strained relations in the wake of the death by polonium poisoning in London of former KGB and FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who became an MI6 agent in 2003.
2004: Signing of Kyoto Protocol treaty
In 2004, Putin signed the Kyoto Protocol treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2004: Reelected President
In 2004, Putin was reelected as president of Russia.
2004: Start of the Statist Years
In 2004, Sergey Guriyev identified the start of the "statist" years (2004 to the first half of 2008) as the second period of Putin's economic policy.
2004: Litvinenko Managed Second Campaign
In 2004, Vladimir Litvinenko managed Putin's presidential election campaign in St Petersburg for a second time.
2004: Co-authorship of "Judo: History, Theory, Practice"
In 2004, Vladimir Putin co-authored a book titled "Judo: History, Theory, Practice" in English.
2004: Changes to Election of Regional Heads
In 2004, the direct election of regional heads (governors) by popular vote was replaced with a system where they would be nominated by the president and approved or disapproved by regional legislatures.
2005: Repayment of Soviet Union's Debts
By 2005, Russia, under Putin's administration, had repaid the Soviet Union's debts due to a fund for oil revenue.
2006: Launch of Aircraft Industry Consolidation Programme
In 2006, Putin launched an industry consolidation programme to bring the main aircraft-producing companies under a single umbrella organization, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
2006: Litvinenko Poisoning
The end of 2006 brought more strained relations in the wake of the death by polonium poisoning in London of former KGB and FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who became an MI6 agent in 2003.
January 2007: Putin Favors Democratic Multipolar World
In January 2007, Putin stated that Russia supports a democratic multipolar world and strengthening international law systems.
February 2007: Putin's Munich Speech
In February 2007, Putin delivered the Munich Speech, criticizing the United States' global dominance and the "almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations," which he argued stimulates an arms race.
May 2007: Signing of the Act of Canonical Communion
On 17 May 2007, Putin actively promoted and participated in the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, which restored relations between the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia after an 80-year schism.
June 2007: Putin Proposes Counterproposal on Missile Shield
On 7 June 2007, Putin publicly opposed plans for the U.S. missile shield in Europe and presented President George W. Bush with a counterproposal, which was declined.
September 2007: Putin visits Indonesia and attends APEC meeting
In September 2007, Putin visited Indonesia, marking the first visit by a Russian leader in over 50 years. During the same month, he attended the APEC meeting in Sydney, Australia, where he met with Prime Minister John Howard and signed a uranium trade deal for Australia to sell uranium to Russia, which was the first visit by a Russian president to Australia.
October 2007: Putin Visits Iran for Second Caspian Summit
On 16 October 2007, Putin visited Iran to participate in the Second Caspian Summit in Tehran, where he met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This marked the first visit of a Soviet or Russian leader to Iran since Joseph Stalin's participation in the Tehran Conference in 1943. Putin stated that all Caspian states have the right to develop their peaceful nuclear programs and described Iran as a "partner," while expressing concerns over the Iranian nuclear program.
December 2007: Russia Suspends Participation in CFE Treaty
On 11 December 2007, Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, amidst rising tensions with the West.
2007: Diplomatic Expulsions Between Russia and UK
In 2007, the crisis in relations continued with the expulsion of four Russian envoys over Russia's refusal to extradite former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi to face charges in the murder of Litvinenko. Russia expelled UK diplomats in response.
April 2008: Putin Visits Libya
In April 2008, Putin became the first Russian president to visit Libya.
2008: Prime Minister Under Medvedev
From 2008, Putin served as prime minister under Dmitry Medvedev due to constitutional term limits.
2008: Prime Minister Again
In 2008, Putin served as Prime Minister of Russia for a second time.
2008: End of the Statist Years and the World Economic Crisis
In 2008, the end of the "statist" years coincided with the beginning of the world economic crisis and recovery period (the second half of 2008-2013) as the third period of Putin's economic policy.
2009: Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State
From 2009 to 2013 Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state. Putin has repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton of interfering in Russia's internal affairs, and in December 2016, Clinton accused Putin of having a personal grudge against her.
November 2011: Agreement on Eurasian Union signed
On 18 November 2011, the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed an agreement setting a target of establishing the Eurasian Union by 2015.
2011: Kadyrov's statement
Prior to 2011, Chechen Republic head and Putin supporter, Ramzan Kadyrov, stated that Putin saved both the Chechen people and Russia.
May 2012: Reelection and Restrictive Laws
Since May 2012, when Putin was reelected as president, Russia has enacted many restrictive laws, started inspections of non-governmental organizations, harassed, intimidated and imprisoned political activists, and started to restrict critics, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.
August 2012: Russia Joins World Trade Organization
Russia joined the World Trade Organization in August 2012.
2012: Resumption of Presidency and Manual Management
After Putin resumed the presidency in 2012, his rule was characterized as 'manual management,' where decisions were made with little consideration for consequences, but with a focus on avoiding financial instability.
2012: Return to Presidency
In 2012, Putin returned to the presidency after an election.
2012: Izborsky Club founded
In 2012, the Izborsky Club, a conservative think tank, was founded by Alexander Prokhanov to promote Russian nationalism and opposition to liberal ideas.
September 2013: Putin Urges Caution Against US Intervention in Syria
In September 2013, The New York Times published an op-ed by Putin urging caution against US intervention in Syria and criticizing American exceptionalism. Putin subsequently helped to arrange for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.
2013: Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State
From 2009 to 2013 Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state. Putin has repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton of interfering in Russia's internal affairs, and in December 2016, Clinton accused Putin of having a personal grudge against her.
2013: End of the World Economic Crisis and Recovery Period
In 2013, the world economic crisis and recovery period (the second half of 2008-2013) ended, marking the beginning of the fourth period of Putin's economic policy.
2013: US Cancels Summit After Snowden Asylum
In late 2013, Russian-American relations deteriorated further when the United States canceled a summit for the first time since 1960 after Putin gave asylum to American Edward Snowden, who had leaked classified information from the NSA.
March 2014: Putin Justifies Crimea Annexation with Kosovo Precedent
In March 2014, Putin used Kosovo's declaration of independence as a justification for recognizing the independence of Crimea, citing the "Kosovo independence precedent."
2014: Gas Supply Deal with China and Financial Crisis
In 2014, Putin signed a deal to supply China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Also, the ongoing financial crisis began in the second half of 2014 when the Russian ruble collapsed due to a decline in the price of oil and international sanctions against Russia, leading to loss of investor confidence and capital flight. Additionally, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project named Putin their Person of the Year for furthering corruption and organized crime in 2014.
2014: Russia writes off Uzbek debt
In 2014, Russia agreed to write off Uzbek debt, furthering the theme of a greater Soviet region as part of Putin's broader political vision.
2014: Russia Suspended from G8
In 2014, Russia was suspended from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea. Putin accused the United States of destabilizing world order.
January 2015: Eurasian Union established
The Eurasian Union was established on 1 January 2015.
2015: Putin Mobilizes Military Support for Assad Regime in Syria
In 2015, Putin took a stronger pro-Assad stance and mobilized military support for the regime in Syria. Some analysts have summarized Putin as being allied with Shiites and Alawites in the Middle East.
2015: British Government Launches Inquiry into Litvinenko's Death
In 2015, the British Government launched a public inquiry into Litvinenko's death, presided over by Robert Owen, a former British High Court judge. The Owen report was published on 21 January 2016.
January 2016: Owen Report on Litvinenko's Death Published
On 21 January 2016, the Owen report, the result of a British public inquiry, stated that "The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."
November 2016: Putin Congratulates Donald Trump
On 9 November 2016, Putin congratulated Donald Trump on becoming the 45th president of the United States.
December 2016: US Intelligence Alleges Putin Approved Election Interference
In December 2016, US intelligence officials stated that Putin approved email hacking and cyber attacks during the U.S. election against Hillary Clinton. Putin's spokesman denied the reports. Clinton accused Putin of having a personal grudge against her.
2016: Increase in Income
Under the Putin administration, from 2000 to 2016, an increase in income in USD terms was 4.5 times, fueled by the 2000s commodities boom including record-high oil prices.
January 2017: US-Russian relations deteriorate
After Trump took office in January 2017, Putin stated that U.S.–Russian relations, already at the lowest level since the end of the Cold War, have continued to deteriorate.
February 2017: Putin's Favorability Increases in the U.S.
In February 2017, a Gallup poll revealed a positive view of Putin among 22% of Americans, the highest since 2003, following the election of Donald Trump.
2017: Putin dispatches Russian PMCs to Central African Republic
In 2017, Putin dispatched Russian PMCs to back the Touadéra regime in the Central African Republic Civil War, gaining a permanent military presence in return.
March 2018: Skripal Poisoning and Accusations
On 4 March 2018, former double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury. The British government accused the Russian state of attempted murder, which Russia denied. Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" Putin had personally ordered the poisoning.
2018: Reelected President Again
In 2018, Putin was reelected as president.
October 2019: Putin visits the United Arab Emirates
In October 2019, Putin visited the United Arab Emirates, where six agreements were struck with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, including shared investments between Russian sovereign wealth fund and the Emirati investment fund Mubadala, signing deals worth over $1.3 billion in energy, health, and advanced technology sectors.
June 2020: Putin Publishes Essay on World War II Anniversary
On 18 June 2020, The National Interest published an essay by Putin titled "The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II". In the essay, Putin criticizes the Western historical view of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact as the start of World War II, stating that the Munich Agreement was the beginning.
May 2021: Putin's Voting Intentions in Moscow and Elsewhere
In May 2021, 33% indicated Putin in response to "who would you vote for this weekend?" among Moscow respondents and 40% outside Moscow.
October 2021: Survey Finds 53% Trust Putin
A survey released in October 2021 found 53% of respondents saying they trusted Putin.
December 2022: Putin refers to the "war" in Ukraine
On 22 December 2022, Putin referred to the conflict in Ukraine as a "war" during a Security Council address, deviating from the term "Special Military Operation." Anti-Putin activists called for his prosecution under a law that penalizes referring to the conflict as a war. On 25 December, he openly declared on TV that the goal of the invasion is "to unite the Russian people".
2022: Survey Shows Putin's Unpopularity in the UK
A survey conducted in the United Kingdom in 2022 found Putin to be among the least popular foreign leaders, with 8% of British respondents holding a positive opinion.
2022: Putin regrets not launching SMO earlier
In 2022, President Putin stated that the events of 2022 began without preparation. He regrets not launching the "Special Military Operation" simultaneously with the annexation of Crimea and with more preparation.
June 2023: Poll Indicates Voting Intentions for 2024 Election
A poll by the independent organization Levada, which was conducted on 22–28 June 2023, showed that 42% of respondents would vote for Putin in the 2024 presidential election.
November 2023: Poll Indicates Voting Intentions for 2024 Election
A public opinion poll by the state-owned institution VCIOM, which was conducted in November 2023, found that 37.3% of respondents would vote for Putin.
December 2023: Putin's Press Conference on Ukraine Negotiations
On 14 December 2023, during a press conference, President Putin stated that Russia would only negotiate with Ukraine after achieving its objectives. He also mentioned that there are "617,000" Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, implying that further mobilization is unnecessary.
March 2024: Poll Indicates Voting Intentions for 2024 Election
According to a VCIOM poll conducted in early March 2024, 56.2% of respondents would vote for Putin.
March 2024: Reelected to Another Term
In March 2024, Putin was reelected to another term as president.
March 2024: 2024 Russian Presidential Election and Crocus City Hall Attack
In March 2024, Putin won the Russian presidential election with 88% of the vote, which was considered neither free nor fair by international observers due to increased political repressions following the 2022 war with Ukraine. Also in March 2024, the Crocus City Hall attack resulted in 145 deaths and 551 injuries, marking the deadliest terrorist attack on Russian soil since 2004.
May 2024: Inauguration and Defense Minister Replacement
In May 2024, Putin was inaugurated as president of Russia for the fifth time. He replaced Sergei Shoigu with Andrey Belousov as defense minister, signaling a shift towards a war economy and preparations for prolonged conflict.
2024: Putin regrets not launching SMO earlier
During the 2024 Year-End Review, President Putin expressed regret for not initiating the "Special Military Operation" simultaneously with the annexation of Crimea and with more preparation, acknowledging that the events in Crimea were spontaneous and the events of 2022 began without preparation.
2024: Presidential Election
In the 2024 Russian presidential election, Putin achieved 88% of the popular vote, with reports of irregularities, including ballot stuffing and coercion.
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