Challenges Faced by Vladimir Putin: Obstacles and Turning Points
Life is full of challenges, and Vladimir Putin faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.
Vladimir Putin is a prominent Russian politician who has significantly shaped Russia's trajectory in the 21st century. A former intelligence officer, he served as President of Russia from 2000-2008 and again from 2012 to the present. He also held the position of Prime Minister twice (1999-2000 and 2008-2012). Often regarded as the de facto leader of Russia since 2000, his leadership has been characterized by a strong emphasis on national sovereignty, centralized power, and assertive foreign policy.
1960: US Cancels Summit
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 Edward Snowden.
1972: U.S. Withdrawal from Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
According to the Kremlin, Putin embarked on a build-up of Russia's nuclear capabilities because of U.S. president George W. Bush's unilateral decision to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
1972: Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
In 1972, the U.S. and Soviet Union signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, during the period when countries were willing to join NATO, this treaty was unilaterally withdrawn from by the U.S.
1989: Freedom House Warns of Russia's Retreat from Freedom
In 2004, Freedom House warned that Russia's "retreat from freedom marks a low point not registered since 1989, when the country was part of the Soviet Union".
August 1998: Russian Financial Crash
During the Russian financial crash of August 1998, Putin learned that financial crises are politically destabilizing and must be avoided at all costs.
1999: Putin Describes Communism and Leads in Polls
In 1999, Vladimir Putin characterized communism as "a blind alley, far away from the mainstream of civilization." By the autumn of 1999, Putin had surpassed Zyuganov as the leading candidate in the polls for the upcoming 2000 presidential election.
1999: Punishment of Journalists Challenging Official View
Scott Gehlbach has claimed that since 1999, Putin has systematically punished journalists who challenge his official point of view.
2000: Zyuganov Frontrunner for Presidential Elections
In 2000, Zyuganov was the evident frontrunner for the first round of the pending 2000 presidential election.
2002: Otto von Habsburg Warns of Putin as an International Threat
In a newspaper interview in 2002, Otto von Habsburg warned of Vladimir Putin as an "international threat".
2003: UK grants asylum to Berezovsky and Litvinenko joins MI6
In 2003, relations between Russia and the United Kingdom deteriorated after the UK granted political asylum to Boris Berezovsky, and Alexander Litvinenko became an MI6 agent.
2003: Rose Revolution in Georgia
In 2003, the Rose Revolution in Georgia contributed to frictions in relations between Georgia and Russia.
2003: Otto von Habsburg Describes Putin as Cruel and Oppressive
In a speech in 2003, Otto von Habsburg described Vladimir Putin as "cruel and oppressive".
December 2004: Putin Criticizes Rose and Orange Revolutions
In December 2004, Putin criticized the Rose and Orange revolutions, warning of the risk of plunging the post-Soviet space into endless conflict.
2004: Freedom House Warns of Russia's Retreat from Freedom
In 2004, Freedom House warned that Russia's "retreat from freedom marks a low point not registered since 1989, when the country was part of the Soviet Union".
2005: Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan
In 2005, the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan led to frictions in the relations of Kyrgyzstan with Russia.
2005: Otto von Habsburg Labels Putin a "Stone Cold Technocrat"
In a speech in 2005, Otto von Habsburg characterized Vladimir Putin as a "stone cold technocrat".
2005: Freedom House Lists Russia as "Not Free"
Since 2005, Freedom House has listed Russia as being "not free", citing democratic backsliding during Vladimir Putin's tenure.
2006: Death of Alexander Litvinenko
In late 2006, relations between Russia and the UK were strained further by the death of former KGB and FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London due to polonium poisoning.
February 2007: Putin criticizes US dominance in Munich Speech
In February 2007, Putin delivered a speech in Munich criticizing the United States' monopolistic dominance in global relations and the excessive use of force, leading to an arms race. This speech became known as the Munich Speech.
June 2007: Putin Proposes Counterproposal to US 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.
December 2007: Russia Suspends Participation in CFE Treaty
On 11 December 2007, Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty.
2007: Expulsion of Russian Envoys
In 2007, the crisis in relations between Russia and the UK continued with the expulsion of four Russian envoys over Russia's refusal to extradite Andrei Lugovoi in connection with the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Russia responded by expelling UK diplomats.
August 2008: South Ossetia War
In August 2008, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili attempted to restore control over South Ossetia, leading to the 2008 South Ossetia War after Russian forces entered South Ossetia and other parts of Georgia, also opening a second front in Abkhazia.
2008: Putin's Statements on Ukraine and NATO
In 2008, at a NATO-Russia summit, Putin allegedly declared that if Ukraine joined NATO, Russia could move to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea, and told U.S. President George W. Bush that "Ukraine is not even a state!".
2008: Abandonment of Socio-Economic Development Program
In 2008, the "Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the Period 2000–2010" was abandoned when it was 30% complete.
2009: Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state
Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, later being accused by Putin of interfering in Russia's internal affairs.
2011: Putin Condemns Military Intervention in Libya and Gaddafi's Death
In 2011, Putin condemned the foreign military intervention in Libya, referring to the UN resolution as "defective and flawed". He also called Muammar Gaddafi's death a "planned murder" by the US.
2011: Economist Intelligence Unit Rates Russia as "Authoritarian"
Since 2011, The Economist Intelligence Unit has rated Russia as "authoritarian", changing from its previous classification as a "hybrid regime".
May 2012: Putin Reelected as President and Enactment of 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.
June 2012: Putin Rejects Hollande's Call for Assad to Step Down in Syria
In June 2012, during a meeting in Paris, Vladimir Putin rejected French President François Hollande's call for Bashar al-Assad to step down from power in Syria. Putin echoed Assad's argument that anti-regime militants were responsible for much of the bloodshed.
2012: Crackdown on Liberal Media
Maria Lipman claims that "The crackdown that followed Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012 extended to the liberal media, which had until then been allowed to operate fairly independently".
2012: Mass Protests Against Election Falsification and Censorship
The period after 2012 saw mass protests against the falsification of elections, censorship, and the toughening of free assembly laws.
January 2013: Putin's Approval Rating Drops to 62%
In January 2013, during the 2011–2013 Russian protests, Vladimir Putin's approval rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
September 2013: Putin Urges Caution Against US Intervention in Syria
In September 2013, Vladimir Putin published an op-ed in The New York Times urging caution against U.S. intervention in Syria and criticizing American exceptionalism. Following this, Putin helped arrange for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.
2013: Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state
Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, later being accused by Putin of interfering in Russia's internal affairs.
2013: Russia's Press Freedom Ranking
In 2013, Reporters Without Borders ranked Russia 148 out of 179 countries in press freedom, criticizing the crackdown on political opposition and failure to prosecute journalist murderers. Freedom House also rated Russian media as "not free" in 2013, noting absent safeguards for journalists and media enterprises.
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 granted asylum to Edward Snowden, who had leaked classified information from the NSA.
March 2014: Russian Annexation of Crimea
Following the Revolution of Dignity in March 2014, the Russian Federation annexed Crimea, with Putin stating it was because "Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia."
March 2014: Putin Cites Kosovo Precedent for Crimea Recognition
In March 2014, Putin used Kosovo's declaration of independence as a justification for recognizing the independence of Crimea, citing the so-called "Kosovo independence precedent".
August 2014: Putin's statement on Russian and Ukrainian Peoples
In late August 2014, Putin stated: "People who have their own views on history and the history of our country may argue with me, but it seems to me that the Russian and Ukrainian peoples are practically one people."
2014: Russia Suspended from G8
In 2014, Russia was suspended from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea. Putin criticized the United States, accusing them of destabilizing world order.
2014: Russian Ruble Collapse and Financial Crisis
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.
December 2015: Putin's Statement on Ukrainian Culture and Literature
In late December 2015, after making a similar statement, Putin stated: "the Ukrainian culture, as well as Ukrainian literature, surely has a source of its own".
2015: Putin Takes Stronger Pro-Assad Stance
In 2015, Vladimir Putin adopted a stronger pro-Assad stance and mobilized military support for the Syrian regime. This action increased Russia's influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, including strengthening control over the Tartus Naval Base and operating the Khmeimim Air Base.
2015: Larry Diamond States Russia Not Considered a Democracy
In 2015, political scientist Larry Diamond stated that "no serious scholar would consider Russia today a democracy" under Vladimir Putin.
2015: British Government launches public inquiry into Litvinenko's death
In 2015, the British Government launched a public inquiry into Alexander Litvinenko's death, presided over by Robert Owen.
January 2016: Owen report published
On January 21, 2016, the Owen report was published, stating that the FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr. Patrushev and also by President Putin.
December 2016: US Intelligence Accuses Putin of 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, and Clinton accused Putin of having a personal grudge against her.
2016: Alexei Navalny Calls Putin the "Tsar of Corruption"
In 2016, opposition activist and blogger Alexei Navalny described Vladimir Putin as the "Tsar of corruption".
January 2017: US-Russian Relations Deteriorate Further
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, continued to deteriorate.
2017: Newsweek reports 67% held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption
In 2017, Newsweek reported that a poll indicated that 67% held Vladimir Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption.
March 2018: Skripal Poisoning and Accusations
In 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, a charge denied by Russia. Boris Johnson stated it was "overwhelmingly likely" Putin had ordered the poisoning, which was called "shocking" by Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
October 2018: Majority of Russians Agree Putin Bears Responsibility for Country's Problems
In October 2018, a survey revealed that two-thirds of Russians agreed that Vladimir Putin bears full responsibility for the problems of the country, attributed to declining belief in "good tsar and bad boyars".
2018: Forbes Describes Putin's Actions as Those of a Dictator
Following the jailing of Alexei Navalny in 2018, Forbes wrote that Vladimir Putin's actions are those of a dictator who can only remain in power through force and repression.
January 2019: Russians Trust in Putin Hits Historic Low
In January 2019, the percentage of Russians trusting Vladimir Putin hit a then-historic low of 33%.
May 2020: Putin's Approval Rating Amid COVID Crisis
In May 2020, amid the COVID-19 crisis, Vladimir Putin's approval rating was 68% when respondents were presented with a list of names and 27% when respondents were expected to name politicians they trust.
June 2020: Number of Political Prisoners in Russia
As of June 2020, per the Memorial Human Rights Center, there were 380 political prisoners in Russia.
2020: Law on Labelling Individuals and Organizations as "Foreign Agents"
In 2020, Putin signed a law on labelling individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents".
July 2021: Publication of "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians"
In July 2021, Putin published a lengthy article "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians," and stated the formation of a Ukrainian state hostile to Moscow was comparable to weapons of mass destruction. It was made mandatory reading for military-political training in the Russian Armed Forces.
November 2021: The Economist Notes Putin Has Shifted from Autocracy to Dictatorship
In November 2021, The Economist noted that Vladimir Putin had "shifted from autocracy to dictatorship".
February 2022: Launched full-scale invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, during his fourth presidential term, Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to international condemnation and sanctions.
February 2022: Survey Shows Support for "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine
In late February 2022, a survey by Russian Field found that 59% of respondents supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine. Later polls obtained by Radio Liberty indicated 71% support among Russians.
March 2022: Putin Removed from IJF Positions
In March 2022, Vladimir Putin was removed from all positions in the International Judo Federation (IJF) due to the Russo-Ukrainian war.
March 2022: Putin's Approval Rating Jumps in Russia Amid War Censorship Laws
In March 2022, Vladimir Putin's approval rating in Russia jumped from 71% in February to 83%. Experts cautioned that the figures may not accurately reflect public mood due to war censorship laws and fear of negative consequences.
September 2022: Announced partial mobilization and annexed Ukrainian oblasts
In September 2022, Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization and forcibly annexed four Ukrainian oblasts into Russia.
2022: Revocation of Honorary Doctorates After Invasion of Ukraine
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, some organizations revoked honorary doctorates and other awards previously given to Vladimir Putin.
2022: Condemnation of Putin Following Civilian Casualties in Ukraine
In 2022, following civilian casualties during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden called Putin a war criminal and a "murderous dictator." During the State of the Union Address that same year, Biden stated that Putin had "badly miscalculated." Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian envoy to the United Nations, compared Putin to Adolf Hitler, as did Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.
February 2023: Russia Suspends Participation in New START Treaty
On 21 February 2023, Putin suspended Russia's participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States.
March 2023: International Criminal Court issued arrest warrant
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to illegal child abductions during the war.
September 2023: VTsIOM Pollster Reports Low Active Support for War in Russia
In September 2023, VTsIOM state pollster Valery Fyodorov stated that only 10–15% of Russians actively supported the war in Ukraine, and most did not demand the conquest of Kyiv or Odesa.
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