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 Russian politician who has dominated Russian politics for over two decades. He served as President of Russia from 2000-2008 and again from 2012 to the present. He was also Prime Minister from 1999-2000 and 2008-2012. A former intelligence officer, Putin is often considered the de facto leader of Russia since 2000, wielding significant influence over the country's domestic and foreign policy.
1960: US cancels a summit with Russia
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 the American Edward Snowden, who had leaked massive amounts of classified information from the NSA.
1989: Freedom House references 1989 as a point of comparison
In 2004, Freedom House warned that Russia's retreat from freedom had reached a low point not seen since 1989 when Russia was part of the Soviet Union, highlighting the perceived decline in freedom under Putin's leadership.
1991: Motivations for NATO expansion
Applications from new countries willing to join NATO were driven primarily by Russian behavior in Chechnya, Transnistria, Abkhazia, the 1991 Soviet coup attempt, as well as calls to restore USSR in its previous borders by prominent Russian politicians.
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 begins systematically punishing journalists
Beginning in 1999, Putin allegedly began systematically punishing journalists who challenged his official point of view, according to Scott Gehlbach.
2000: Putin's approval rating reaches 62%
In January 2013, at the time of the 2011-2013 Russian protests, Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
2003: UK grants political asylum to Boris 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: Rose Revolution in Georgia
In 2003, the Rose Revolution took place in Georgia, leading to frictions in relations with Russia.
December 2004: Putin criticizes Rose and Orange revolutions
In December 2004, Putin criticized the Rose and Orange revolutions, stating that "If you have permanent revolutions, you risk 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 took place in Kyrgyzstan, leading to frictions in relations with Russia.
2005: Russia listed as "not free"
Since 2005, Freedom House has listed Russia as being "not free", citing democratic backsliding during Putin's tenure.
2006: Death of Alexander Litvinenko
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.
February 2007: Putin criticizes US dominance in Munich Speech
In February 2007, Putin delivered what became known as the Munich Speech, criticizing the United States' monopolistic dominance in global relations and "almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations". He argued that this policy stimulated an arms race and that no one felt safe due to the lack of a protective international law.
June 2007: Putin's counterproposal on missile shield declined
On 7 June 2007, Putin presented President George W. Bush with a counterproposal regarding the U.S. missile shield in Europe, which was ultimately declined.
August 2007: Russian expedition Arktika 2007 plants flag on seabed at North Pole
In August 2007, the Russian expedition Arktika 2007, as part of research related to the 2001 Russian territorial extension claim, planted a flag on the seabed at the North Pole, marking Russia's increasing territorial claims in the Arctic.
December 2007: Russia suspends participation in treaty
On 11 December 2007, Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty.
2007: Diplomatic expulsions between Russia and the UK
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 former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi to face charges in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Russia expelled UK diplomats and took other retaliatory steps.
February 2008: Putin Opposes Kosovo's Independence
On 17 February 2008, Putin opposed Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia, warning that it would destabilize international relations. He described the recognition of Kosovo's independence by major world powers as "a terrible precedent, which will de facto blow apart the whole system of international relations, developed not over decades, but over centuries".
August 2008: Georgian military defeated in South Ossetia War
In August 2008, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili attempted to regain control over South Ossetia. However, the Georgian military was soon defeated in the resulting 2008 South Ossetia War after regular Russian forces entered South Ossetia and then other parts of Georgia, opening a second front in Abkhazia with Abkhazian forces.
2008: Putin's warning at NATO-Russia summit
In 2008, at a NATO-Russia summit, Putin allegedly declared that if Ukraine joined NATO, Russia might annex Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. During the summit in 2008, he also told U.S. President George W. Bush that "Ukraine is not even a state!".
2009: Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state
Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.
2011: Putin condemns foreign intervention in Libya
In 2011, Putin condemned the foreign military intervention in Libya, referring to the UN resolution as "defective and flawed", and called the death of Muammar Gaddafi a "planned murder" by the US.
2011: Russian Protests
In January 2013, at the time of the 2011-2013 Russian protests, Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
2011: Russia rated as "authoritarian"
Since 2011, The Economist Intelligence Unit has rated Russia as "authoritarian", a shift from its previous classification as a "hybrid regime".
2011: Putin criticizes NATO intervention in Libya
The NATO-led military intervention in Libya in 2011 prompted a widespread wave of criticism from several world leaders, including Putin, who said that the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 is "defective and flawed", adding: "It allows everything. It resembles medieval calls for crusades".
May 2012: Putin reelected as president and Human Rights Watch report criticizes restrictive laws
In May 2012, Putin was reelected as president, and Human Rights Watch issued a report, Laws of Attrition, criticizing the enactment of restrictive laws in Russia, including the "foreign agents" law, the treason law, and the assembly law, which penalize dissent.
June 2012: Putin rejects Hollande's call for Assad to step down
In June 2012, in Paris, Putin rejected the statement of French president François Hollande, who called on Bashar al-Assad to step down, and argued that anti-regime militants were responsible for much of the bloodshed in Syria.
2012: Return to Presidency After Election
In 2012, Putin returned to the presidency of Russia following an election marked by fraud allegations and protests.
2012: Adoption of "foreign agent" legislation
In 2012, Russia adopted the initial "foreign agent" legislation, which would later be expanded in 2020 under Putin's leadership.
2012: Crackdown extends to liberal media after Putin's return to the Kremlin
In 2012, after Putin's return to the Kremlin, the crackdown on media freedom extended to the liberal media, which had previously been allowed to operate fairly independently.
2012: Mass Protests Against Election Falsification
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 falls to 62%
In January 2013, at the time of the 2011-2013 Russian protests, Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
2013: Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state
Hillary Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.
2013: Russia ranked low in press freedom by Reporters Without Borders
In 2013, Reporters Without Borders ranked Russia 148 out of 179 countries in terms of freedom of the press, criticizing the crackdown on political opposition and the failure to prosecute those who murdered journalists.
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 the American Edward Snowden, who had leaked massive amounts of classified information from the NSA.
February 2014: Putin's statements after Crimea annexation
Following the Russian annexation of Crimea, in February 2014, Putin stated that Ukraine includes "regions of Russia's historic south" and "was created on a whim by the Bolsheviks". He also declared that the ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014 was orchestrated by the West to weaken Russia, accusing Western partners of acting "rudely, irresponsibly and unprofessionally" and characterizing the new Ukrainian leaders as "nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites".
March 2014: Russian Federation Annexes Crimea
Following the Revolution of Dignity, in March 2014, the Russian Federation annexed Crimea. According to Putin, in March 2014, this was done because "Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia."
March 2014: Putin uses Kosovo's declaration as justification for recognizing Crimea's independence
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".
July 2014: Putin's speech during armed insurgency in Eastern Ukraine
In July 2014, during a Russian-supported armed insurgency in Eastern Ukraine, Putin stated he would use Russia's "entire arsenal of available means" up to "operations under international humanitarian law and the right of self-defense" to protect Russian speakers outside Russia.
2014: Russia suspended from G8
In 2014, Russia was suspended from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea. Putin gave a speech highly critical of the United States, accusing them of destabilizing world order and trying to "reshape the world" to its own benefit.
2015: Putin mobilizes military support for Assad regime
In 2015, Putin took a stronger pro-Assad stance and mobilized military support for the regime in Syria, increasing Russian influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
2015: Larry Diamond opinion on Russia
In 2015, political scientist Larry Diamond stated that "no serious scholar would consider Russia today a democracy".
2015: British Government launches public 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.
January 2016: Owen Report published
The Owen report, published on 21 January 2016, stated, "The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin".
December 2016: US intelligence officials state Putin approved email hacking and cyber attacks
In December 2016, US intelligence officials stated that Putin approved the email hacking and cyber attacks during the U.S. election, against the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton. 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.
January 2017: Deterioration of U.S. - Russian relations after Trump takes office
Putin stated that U.S.–Russian relations, already at the lowest level since the end of the Cold War, have continued to deteriorate after Trump took office in January 2017.
2017: Newsweek reports poll shows Putin responsible for corruption
In 2017, Newsweek reported that a poll "indicated that 67% held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption".
March 2018: Sergei Skripal poisoning and diplomatic fallout
In March 2018, former double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, leading to accusations against the Russian state and the expulsion of diplomats between the UK and Russia. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" Putin had personally ordered the poisoning of Skripal.
October 2018: Russians agree Putin bears responsibility for the country's problems
In October 2018, two-thirds of Russians surveyed agreed that "Putin bears full responsibility for the problems of the country", which has been attributed to a decline in a popular belief in "good tsar and bad boyars".
December 2018: Ukrainian Orthodox Church attains autocephaly
In December 2018, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church attained autocephaly, leading to a schism with the Russian Orthodox Church from Constantinople. Experts concluded that Putin's forceful engagement in post-Soviet republics backfired, resulting in him "annexing Crimea, but losing Ukraine," and causing other post-Soviet countries to approach Russia with greater caution.
2018: Forbes: Putin's Actions are those of a Dictator
Following the jailing of Alexei Navalny in 2018, Forbes wrote: "Putin's actions are those of a dictator... As a leader with failing public support, he can only remain in power by using force and repression that gets worse by the day".
January 2019: Russians trusting Putin hit a then-historic low
In January 2019, the percentage of Russians trusting Putin hit a then-historic low—33%.
May 2020: Putin's approval rating dips amid COVID crisis
In May 2020, amid the COVID crisis, Putin's approval rating was 68% when respondents were presented a list of names, and 27% when respondents were expected to name politicians they trust.
June 2020: Memorial Human Rights Center reports 380 political prisoners in Russia
As of June 2020, the Memorial Human Rights Center reported that there were 380 political prisoners in Russia, including individuals prosecuted for political activities or involvement with banned Muslim organizations, with a significant portion residing in Crimea.
2020: Abe resigns without signing agreement on Japan-Russia territorial disputes.
In 2020, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned from his position in Japan before an agreement was signed between Japan and Russia regarding territorial disputes.
2020: Putin signs law on labeling individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents"
In 2020, Putin signed a law expanding the "foreign agent" legislation adopted in 2012, requiring individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad to be labeled as "foreign agents."
January 2021: Navalny Investigation Accuses Putin of Corruption
In January 2021, Alexei Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation released a video investigation accusing Putin of using fraudulently obtained funds to build a massive estate, alleging it cost over 100 billion rubles ($1.35 billion) and is 39 times the size of Monaco.
November 2021: The Economist: Putin shifted to dictatorship
In November 2021, The Economist noted that Putin had "shifted from autocracy to dictatorship".
February 2022: Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, during his fourth presidential term, Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, resulting in international condemnation and expanded sanctions.
February 2022: Survey finds support for "special military operation" in Ukraine
In late February 2022, a survey conducted by Russian Field found that 59% of respondents supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine. A poll published on 30 March in Russia saw Putin's approval rating jump, from 71% in February, to 83%.
March 2022: Putin's approval rating jumps amid war censorship
In March 2022 a poll published in Russia saw Putin's approval rating jump from 71% in February to 83%, though experts warned that the figures may not accurately reflect the public mood due to war censorship.
March 2022: Removed from IJF Positions
In March 2022, Putin was removed from all positions in the International Judo Federation (IJF) due to the Russo-Ukrainian war.
September 2022: Partial Mobilization and Annexation of Ukrainian Oblasts
In September 2022, Putin announced a partial mobilization and forcibly annexed four Ukrainian oblasts into Russia.
December 2022: Putin acknowledges the "war" in Ukraine
On 22 December 2022, Putin addressed the Security Council, referring to the fighting in Ukraine as a "war" instead of using the term "Special Military Operation." Anti-Putin activists called for his prosecution for breaking a law that prohibits calling the Special Military Operation a war, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail. On 25 December 2022, he openly declared in a TV interview that the goal of the invasion is "to unite the Russian people".
2022: Honorary Doctorates Revoked
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, some honorary doctorates and awards previously given to Putin were revoked.
2022: Putin expresses regret over timing of "Special Military Operation"
During the 2024 Year-End Review, President Putin expressed regret that the "Special Military Operation" was not launched simultaneously with the annexation of Crimea and without sufficient preparation, stating "This decision, which was made at the beginning of 2022, should have been made earlier. That's the first thing. Secondly, we should have started preparing, including for the SMO. The events in Crimea were spontaneous. The events of 2022 also began without preparation. But why did we start? Because it was impossible to stand still and endure any longer".
2022: Increased Repressions After War
In 2022, Putin increased political repressions after launching his full-scale war with Ukraine.
2022: Last Talks with Ukraine
In early 2022, it was the last time Russian and Ukrainian delegations held direct talks until May 15, 2025.
February 2023: Russia suspends participation in New START treaty
In February 2023, Putin suspended Russia's participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States.
March 2023: International Criminal Court Arrest Warrant
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes related to illegal child abductions during the war.
September 2023: VTsIOM pollster reports low active support for the war in Russia
In September 2023, the head of the VTsIOM state pollster Valery Fyodorov said in an interview that only 10–15% of Russians actively supported the war, and that "most Russians are not demanding the conquest of Kyiv or Odesa".
March 2024: Crocus City Hall Attack and Election
On March 22, 2024, the Crocus City Hall attack resulted in 145 deaths and 551 injuries, marking the deadliest terrorist attack on Russian soil since 2004. Also in March 2024, Putin won the Russian presidential election with 88% of the vote, which international observers considered neither free nor fair.
September 2024: Nuclear Retaliation Warning
In September 2024, Vladimir Putin warned the West that Russia would consider nuclear retaliation if attacked with conventional weapons, deviating from the no first use doctrine. He threatened nuclear powers against supporting attacks on Russia.
2024: Putin expresses regret over timing of "Special Military Operation"
During the 2024 Year-End Review, President Putin expressed regret that the "Special Military Operation" was not launched simultaneously with the annexation of Crimea and without sufficient preparation, stating "This decision, which was made at the beginning of 2022, should have been made earlier. That's the first thing. Secondly, we should have started preparing, including for the SMO. The events in Crimea were spontaneous. The events of 2022 also began without preparation. But why did we start? Because it was impossible to stand still and endure any longer".
May 2025: Direct Talks with Ukraine in Istanbul
On May 15, 2025, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held direct talks in Istanbul for the first time since early 2022. Putin conditioned peace on Ukraine abandoning four partially occupied regions, a concession Ukraine rejected, and listed demands seen as undermining Ukraine's sovereignty. He rejected calls for a ceasefire and escalated attacks.
July 2025: Estimated Russian Casualties in War with Ukraine
As of July 2025, it was estimated that Russian casualties in the war with Ukraine were approximately 1 million.
October 2025: Sanctions and Territorial Demands
In October 2025, Vladimir Putin stated that the United States government's sanctions against Russia's largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, would not force him to end the war in Ukraine. He also demanded that Ukraine cede territory in the Donbas region to Russia in exchange for a peace deal.
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