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, the current President of Russia (since 2012), and previously held the office from 2000 to 2008. He also served as Prime Minister of Russia (1999-2000 and 2008-2012) and is considered the de facto leader of Russia since 1999/2000. Putin's leadership has significantly shaped Russia's domestic and foreign policy over the past two decades.
1989: Freedom House references 1989 low point
In 2004, Freedom House made reference to the low point in Russia's "retreat from freedom" not registered since 1989, when the country was part of the Soviet Union.
1999: Systematic punishment of journalists
Since 1999, Vladimir Putin has allegedly systematically punished journalists who challenge his official point of view.
2000: Putin's Low Approval Rating
In January 2013, at the time of the 2011–2013 Russian protests, Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
2002: Habsburg Criticizes Putin
In 2002, Otto von Habsburg, an early critic of Putin, warned of Putin as an "international threat" in a newspaper interview.
2003: Habsburg Criticizes Putin
In 2003, Otto von Habsburg, criticized Putin as "cruel and oppressive" in a speech, highlighting growing concerns about his leadership.
2003: UK grants 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 in Georgia led to frictions in the relations of Georgia with Russia.
December 2004: Criticism of Rose and Orange revolutions
In December 2004, Putin criticized the Rose and Orange revolutions, saying: "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", highlighting concerns about democratic backsliding.
2005: Freedom House lists Russia as "not free"
In 2005, Freedom House listed Russia as "not free", indicating a decline in democratic freedoms during Putin's tenure.
2005: Habsburg Criticizes Putin
In 2005, Otto von Habsburg, warned of Putin as a "stone cold technocrat" in a speech, continuing his critique of Putin's leadership style.
2005: Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan
In 2005, the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan led to frictions in the relations of Kyrgyzstan with Russia.
2006: Death of Alexander Litvinenko
The end of 2006 brought strained relations in the wake of the death by polonium poisoning in London of former KGB and FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko.
February 2007: Putin criticizes U.S. dominance in Munich Speech
In February 2007, Putin delivered the Munich Speech, criticizing the United States' "monopolistic dominance" in global relations and the "almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations".
June 2007: Putin proposes counterproposal to U.S. missile shield
On June 7, 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 the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty
On December 11, 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 Andrei Lugovoi. Russia expelled UK diplomats in response.
August 2008: South Ossetia War
In August 2008, Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili attempted to restore control over the breakaway South Ossetia, but 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, also opening a second front in the other Georgian breakaway province of Abkhazia with Abkhazian forces.
2008: NATO-Russia summit
In 2008, at a NATO-Russia summit, Putin allegedly declared that if Ukraine joined NATO, Russia could contend to annex the Ukrainian East and Crimea. At the summit, he told U.S. President George W. Bush that "Ukraine is not even a state!".
2009: Global Economic Crisis
In 2016, public confidence in the Russian economy was low, dropping to levels rivaling the lows in 2009 at the height of the global economic crisis.
2011: Photographs From Inside Alleged "Putin's Palace" are Leaked
In 2011 photographs, allegedly from the inside of "Putin's Palace" were leaked onto the internet, which Alexei Navalny compared to photographs from a contractor in his video investigation published in January 2021.
2011: Putin Condemns Foreign Military Intervention in Libya
In 2011, Putin condemned the foreign military intervention in Libya, calling the UN resolution "defective and flawed" and comparing it to "medieval calls for crusades". He referred to Muammar Gaddafi's death as 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", indicating a shift away from democratic governance.
2011: Russian Protests
The 2011–2013 Russian protests are being mentioned because Putin's approval rating fell to 62% in January 2013 during this time.
May 2012: Putin reelected as president, restrictive laws enacted
In May 2012, upon Vladimir Putin's reelection as president, Russia enacted many restrictive laws. These included the "foreign agents" law, the treason law, and the assembly law, which penalizes many expressions of dissent. There were also reports of inspections of non-governmental organizations, harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of political activists, and restrictions on critics.
June 2012: Putin Opposes Foreign Intervention in Syria
In June 2012, in Paris, Putin rejected French president François Hollande's call for Bashar al-Assad to step down. Putin echoed Assad's argument that anti-regime militants were responsible for much of the bloodshed. He also questioned the outcomes of previous NATO interventions.
2012: Crackdown extends to liberal media
In 2012, the crackdown that followed Putin's return to the Kremlin extended to the liberal media, which had until then been allowed to operate fairly independently.
2012: Adoption of "foreign agent" legislation
In 2012, the initial "foreign agent" legislation was adopted in Russia.
January 2013: Putin's Approval Rating Drops
In January 2013, at the time of the 2011–2013 Russian protests, Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.
2013: Russia's press freedom ranking
In 2013, Reporters Without Borders ranked Russia 148 out of 179 countries in terms of freedom of the press. The organization criticized Russia for the crackdown on the political opposition and the failure to bring to justice criminals who have murdered journalists.
2013: U.S. cancels summit after Putin grants asylum to Edward Snowden
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.
February 2014: Ousting of Ukrainian President
After the Russian annexation of Crimea, Putin declared that the February 2014 ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had been orchestrated by the West as an attempt to weaken Russia, further stating that the people who had come to power in Ukraine were "nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites".
March 2014: Annexation of Crimea
Following the Revolution of Dignity, in March 2014, the Russian Federation annexed Crimea. According to Putin, this was done because "Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia".
March 2014: Putin cites "Kosovo independence precedent" to justify recognizing Crimea
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 Deal with China, Ruble Collapse, and Corruption Award
In 2014, Putin signed a deal to supply China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Also in 2014, the Russian ruble collapsed due to a decline in the price of oil and international sanctions against Russia. Finally, in 2014, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project named Putin their Person of the Year for furthering corruption and organized crime.
2014: Russia suspended from the G8 group
In 2014, Russia was suspended from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea.
2014: Abbott Threatens to "Shirtfront" Putin at G20 Summit
In 2014, amid calls to ban Putin from attending the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he would "shirtfront" (challenge) the Russian leader over the shooting down of MH17 by Russian-backed rebels, which had killed 38 Australians. Putin denied responsibility for the killings.
2015: Larry Diamond on Russian Democracy
In 2015, political scientist Larry Diamond stated that "no serious scholar would consider Russia today a democracy", reflecting widespread skepticism about Russia's democratic status.
2015: Levada Center on Russian Polls
In 2015, the director of the Levada Center stated that drawing conclusions from Russian poll results or comparing them to polls in democratic states was irrelevant due to the lack of political competition and state-controlled media influencing public opinion.
January 2016: Publication of the Owen report
On January 21, 2016, The Owen report on the death of Litvinenko stated, "The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin".
December 2016: U.S. intelligence officials allege Putin approved email hacking during U.S. election
In December 2016, U.S. intelligence officials stated that Putin approved the email hacking and cyber attacks during the U.S. election against Hillary Clinton.
2016: Putin Described as 'Tsar of corruption'
In 2016, Alexei Navalny described Putin as the "Tsar of corruption", highlighting allegations of corruption within the Russian government.
2016: Low Public Confidence in Russian Economy
In 2016, public confidence in the Russian economy was low, dropping to levels rivaling the lows in 2009 at the height of the global economic crisis.
January 2017: Putin states U.S.-Russian relations continued to deteriorate
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: Poll Indicates Putin Responsible for Corruption
In 2017, Newsweek reported that a poll "indicated that 67% held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption" in Russia.
March 2018: Sergei Skripal poisoned with Novichok nerve agent
On March 4, 2018, former double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury. Ten days later, the British government formally accused the Russian state of attempted murder.
October 2018: Russians Hold Putin Responsible for Country's Problems
In October 2018, a survey indicated that two-thirds of Russians agreed that "Putin bears full responsibility for the problems of the country", attributed to a decline in the belief of "good tsar and bad boyars".
December 2018: Autocephaly of Ukrainian Orthodox Church
In December 2018, with the attainment of autocephaly by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and subsequent schism of the Russian Orthodox Church from Constantinople, a number of experts came to the conclusion that Putin's policy of forceful engagement in post-Soviet republics significantly backfired on him.
2018: Forbes on Putin as a Dictator
Following the jailing of Alexei Navalny in 2018, Forbes described Putin's actions as those of a dictator, citing the use of force and repression to maintain power.
January 2019: Putin's Trust Rating Hits Historic Low
In January 2019, the percentage of Russians trusting Putin hit a then-historic low of 33%. Putin's approval rating among young Russians was 32%.
April 2019: Record Number of Russians Willing to Emigrate
In April 2019, a Gallup poll showed a record number of Russians, 20%, willing to permanently emigrate from Russia. The decline was even larger in the 17–25 age group, with 41% willing to emigrate permanently.
May 2020: Putin's Approval Rating 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. This was attributed to continued post-Crimea economic stagnation and an apathetic response to the pandemic.
June 2020: Political prisoners in Russia
As of June 2020, there were 380 political prisoners in Russia, according to the Memorial Human Rights Center. This included individuals prosecuted for political activities and involvement with banned Muslim organizations, with a significant portion being residents of Crimea.
December 2020: Low Support for Putin Among Young Russians
In December 2020, Putin's support among Russians aged 18–24 was only 20%. This indicates a generational struggle over the perception of Putin's rule.
2020: Expansion of "foreign agent" legislation
In 2020, Putin signed a law expanding the "foreign agent" legislation adopted in 2012, to include individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad.
January 2021: Navalny Accuses Putin of Corruption in Video Investigation
On 19 January 2021, Alexei Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) released a video investigation accusing Putin of using fraudulently obtained funds to build an estate for himself, calling it "the world's biggest bribe".
November 2021: The Economist on Putin shifting to Dictatorship
In November 2021, The Economist noted that Putin had "shifted from autocracy to dictatorship", highlighting concerns about increasing authoritarianism.
November 2021: Distrust of Putin Linked to Vaccine Hesitancy
Polls conducted in November 2021 after the failure of a Russian COVID-19 vaccination campaign indicated distrust of Putin was a major contributing factor for vaccine hesitancy, with regional polls indicating numbers as low as 20–30% in the Volga Federal District.
February 2022: Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
February 2022: Support for "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine
In late February 2022, a survey found that 59% of respondents supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine. Among 18-to-24-year-olds, only 29% supported it.
March 2022: Ukrainians' Unfavorable View of Putin and Russia's Claims
In March 2022, 97% of Ukrainians had an unfavorable view of Putin, and 98% of Ukrainians, including 82% of ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, did not believe any part of Ukraine was rightfully part of Russia. A poll in Russia saw Putin's approval rating jump from 71% in February to 83%.
March 2022: Removed from International Judo Federation Positions
In March 2022, Vladimir Putin was removed from all positions in the International Judo Federation (IJF) due to the Russian war in Ukraine.
March 2022: Polls Survey Russians' Sentiments About "Special Military Operation"
In late February and mid-March 2022 two polls surveyed Russians' sentiments about the "special military operation" in Ukraine. The results, obtained by Radio Liberty, indicated that 71% of Russians polled supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine.
April 2022: Reported Speculation of Parkinson's Disease Based on Video Footage
In April 2022, tabloid newspaper The Sun reported that based on video footage, Vladimir Putin may have Parkinson's disease, a speculation which has not been supported by medical professionals.
September 2022: Annexation of Ukrainian Oblasts
In September 2022, Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization and forcibly annexed four Ukrainian oblasts into Russia.
December 2022: Putin refers to Ukraine conflict as a "war"
On December 22, 2022, Putin addressed the Security Council and referred to the conflict in Ukraine as a "war," a departure from the term "Special Military Operation."
2022: Putin among the least popular foreign leaders 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: International Condemnation of Putin After Invasion of Ukraine
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison condemned the invasion as "unprovoked, unjust and illegal" and labeled Putin a "thug". New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern denounced Putin as a "bully". Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama tweeted that Fiji and other Pacific Island Countries condemned the conflict, while the Solomon Islands UN ambassador called the invasion a "violation of the rule of law".
2022: Russian State-Controlled Media's Portrayal of Ukraine Invasion
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, state-controlled TV presented the invasion as a "special military operation" and liberation mission. Roskomnadzor ordered the country's media to use only state sources or face penalties. The Russian media was banned from using the words "war", "invasion" or "aggression" to describe the invasion.
2022: Putin launches the "Special Military Operation" without preparation
In 2022, President Putin stated that the events of 2022 began without preparation. Saying "it was impossible to stand still and endure any longer".
2022: Biden Calls Putin a War Criminal
In 2022, following mounting civilian casualties during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. president Joe Biden called Putin a war criminal and "murderous dictator". The Ukrainian envoy to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya likened Putin to Adolf Hitler. Latvian prime minister Krisjanis Karins also likened the Russian leader to Hitler, saying he was "a deluded autocrat creating misery for millions" and that "Putin is fighting against democracy (...) If he can attack Ukraine, theoretically it could be any other European country".
2022: Honorary Doctorates Revoked in Response to Invasion of Ukraine
In 2022, some of the honorary doctorates and awards that Vladimir Putin had received from organizations across the world were revoked in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
2022: Start of Ukraine Invasion
Since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, Putin has only once granted an interview to a Western journalist.
February 2023: Putin suspends Russia's participation in New START treaty
On February 21, 2023, Putin suspended Russia's participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States.
March 2023: ICC Arrest Warrant
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes.
September 2023: Limited Active Support for War Among Russians
In September 2023, the head of the VTsIOM state pollster said 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 Irregularities
In March 2024, the Crocus City Hall attack resulted in 145 deaths and 551 injuries, marking the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia since 2004. Also during March 2024, Putin won the Russian presidential election with 88% of the vote, although international observers cited the election was not free or fair due to political repression and irregularities such as ballot stuffing.
September 2024: Nuclear Retaliation Warning to the West
In September 2024, Putin warned the West that Russia would consider a nuclear retaliation if attacked with conventional weapons, deviating from the no first use doctrine. Putin threatened nuclear powers that supported attacks on Russia, stating they would be considered participants in the aggression. Experts suggest this announcement in September 2024 was aimed at deterring the US, UK, and France from allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied long-range missiles against Russia.
2024: Putin expresses regret over timing of "Special Military Operation"
During the 2024 Year-End Review, President Putin expressed regret for not launching the "Special Military Operation" at the same time as the annexation of Crimea and with more preparation.
2024: No Data on Military Emissions Since 2022 Invasion
Reporting military emissions is voluntary and, as of 2024, no data is available since before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
April 2025: Trump's Call for a Peace Deal
In April 2025, US President Donald Trump criticized Putin's determination to continue the war against Ukraine amid high casualties and called for a peace deal on social media. Putin rejected a proposal by the United States and Ukraine for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in April 2025.
May 2025: Direct Talks with Ukraine in Istanbul
On 15 May 2025, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held direct talks in Istanbul for the first time since early 2022. As a condition for peace, Putin called on Ukraine to abandon four partially occupied Ukrainian regions that Russia has annexed but not conquered: a territorial concession that Ukraine has repeatedly rejected. He also listed other demands that critics say would lead to the end of Ukraine as a sovereign and independent state. Putin rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire and escalated attacks on Ukraine.
July 2025: Estimated Russian Casualties in Ukraine War
As of July 2025, Russian casualties in the war with Ukraine were estimated at 1 million.
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