Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Vladimir Putin
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Vladimir Putin.
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.
2 days ago : Putin Claims No Need for Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine, Aims for War Conclusion
Vladimir Putin stated that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine has not arisen and expressed hope it wouldn't be necessary. He also claimed Moscow possesses the means to bring the conflict to a 'logical conclusion'.
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.
1978: Strategic Planning and Policy Book Published
In 1978, King and Cleland's "Strategic Planning and Policy" book was published, which Putin later allegedly plagiarized for his thesis.
1987: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Some analysts believe that Russia's nuclear strategy under Putin has brought Russia into violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
1989: Freedom House's historic reference point
In 2004, Freedom House warned that Russia's decline in freedom had reached a low point unseen since 1989, the year of significant changes in the Soviet Union.
1999: Systematic punishment of journalists
According to Scott Gehlbach, since 1999, Putin has systematically punished journalists who challenge his official point of view.
2002: Otto von Habsburg's criticism
In 2002, Otto von Habsburg, the last crown prince of Austria-Hungary, criticized Putin as an "international threat" in a newspaper interview.
2003: Habsburg's Warning
In 2003, Otto von Habsburg warned of Putin as an "international threat" in a speech.
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.
December 2004: Criticism of Rose and Orange revolutions
In December 2004, Putin criticized the Rose and Orange revolutions, warning against plunging the post-Soviet space into endless conflict.
2004: Freedom House Warning
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: Habsburg's Critique
In 2005, Otto von Habsburg delivered a speech further criticizing Putin, characterizing him as "cruel and oppressive" and a "stone cold technocrat".
2005: Russia listed as 'not free'
Since 2005, Freedom House has listed Russia as being "not free", highlighting concerns about democratic backsliding during Putin's tenure.
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.
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.
2007: CIA's wealth estimation
In 2007, the CIA estimated Putin's wealth at $40 billion.
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: Divorce Rumors and Denials
In April 2008, the Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that Putin had divorced Lyudmila and was engaged to Alina Kabaeva, but the story was denied, and the newspaper was shut down shortly thereafter.
August 2008: South Ossetia War
In August 2008, the Georgian military was defeated in the South Ossetia War after Russian forces entered South Ossetia and other parts of Georgia, leading to a second front in Abkhazia.
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.
2011: Photos from inside "Putin's Palace" leaked onto the Internet
In 2011 photos from inside "Putin's Palace" were leaked onto the Internet. In January 2021 Alexei Navalny compared these photos to a floorplan of the Palace given to him by a contractor.
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." Upon the death of Muammar Gaddafi, Putin called it a "planned murder" by the US, questioning the nature of democracy in light of Gaddafi's violent death.
2011: Economist Intelligence Unit rating
Since 2011, The Economist Intelligence Unit has rated Russia as "authoritarian", shifting from its previous assessment as a "hybrid regime".
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.
June 2012: Putin Opposes Foreign Intervention in Syrian Civil War
In June 2012, in Paris, Putin opposed any foreign intervention in the Syrian civil war. He rejected French president François Hollande's call for Bashar al-Assad to step down, echoing Assad's argument that anti-regime militants were responsible for much of the bloodshed. He also questioned the results of previous NATO interventions in Libya and Iraq.
August 2012: Critics Listing of Residences
In August 2012, critics of Putin listed the ownership of 20 villas and palaces, nine of which were built during his 12 years in power.
2012: Return to Presidency
In 2012, Putin returned to the presidency after an election.
2012: Mass Protests Against Election Falsification
In 2012, Russia experienced mass protests against the falsification of elections, censorship, and the toughening of free assembly laws.
2012: Sergei Kolesnikov's allegations about "Putin's Palace"
In 2012, Sergei Kolesnikov, a former business associate of Putin, stated that he was instructed to oversee the construction of a mansion, known as "Putin's Palace," near Praskoveevka. He claimed that the palace was built on government land with state funds for Putin's private use, and included features such as helipads and a private road.
2012: Crackdown on liberal media
In 2012, after Putin's return to the Kremlin, Maria Lipman claims that the crackdown extended to the liberal media, which had previously operated fairly independently.
2012: "Foreign agent" legislation adopted
In 2012, the "foreign agent" legislation was adopted. This was later expanded in 2020.
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: Gay athletes would not face discrimination.
In 2013, Putin stated that gay athletes would not face any discrimination at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
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, criticizing the crackdown on political opposition and the failure to bring to justice criminals 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 American Edward Snowden, who had leaked classified information from the NSA.
February 2014: Ousting of Ukrainian President Yanukovych
After the Russian annexation of Crimea, Putin declared that the February 2014 ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was orchestrated by the West to weaken Russia, accusing the new Ukrainian leaders of being "nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites".
March 2014: Russian Federation annexed Crimea
Following the Revolution of Dignity in March 2014, the Russian Federation annexed Crimea, which according to Putin, "has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia".
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."
August 2014: Statement on Russian and Ukrainian peoples
In late August 2014, Putin stated that the Russian and Ukrainian peoples are "practically one people".
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: Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, Putin's tenure was marked by the controversial annexation of Crimea, a significant foreign policy action.
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.
2014: G20 Summit Controversy
In 2014, amid calls to ban Putin from attending the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated he would "shirtfront" the Russian leader regarding the shooting down of MH17 by Russian-backed rebels, which resulted in the death of 38 Australians. Putin denied responsibility for the killings.
2014: Kissinger's perspective
In 2014, former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger wrote that the West had demonized Putin.
2015: Reported birth of daughter
In 2015, Kabaeva reportedly gave birth to a daughter by Putin; this report was denied.
2015: Accusations from Opponents
In 2015, political opponent Garry Kasparov described Putin as a "dictator", former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton described him as a "bully" and "arrogant", the Dalai Lama described him as "self-centered", and opposition politician Boris Nemtsov stated that Putin was turning Russia into a "raw materials colony" of China.
2015: Diamond's Assessment
In 2015, political scientist Larry Diamond stated that "no serious scholar would consider Russia today a democracy", highlighting the challenges to democratic governance.
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."
April 2016: Panama Papers Leak
In April 2016, the Panama Papers leak revealed offshore companies worth US$2 billion linked to Putin's associates, raising questions about Putin's family profiting from this money.
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: Legislation Prohibiting Missionary Activity
In 2016, Putin oversaw the passage of legislation that prohibited missionary activity in Russia.
2016: Navalny's accusation
In 2016, opposition activist and blogger Alexei Navalny described Putin as the "Tsar of corruption", marking a significant accusation against his leadership.
2017: Ghodsee's analysis in Red Hangover
In her 2017 book, Red Hangover: Legacies of Twentieth-Century Communism, Kristen Ghodsee argued that the triumphalist attitudes of Western powers after the Cold War and linking leftist political ideals with Stalinism led to neoliberalism, undermining democracy and fueling Putin's right-wing nationalism.
2017: Poll Indicates Putin Personally Responsible for Corruption
Newsweek reported in 2017 that a poll indicated that 67% held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption.
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.
December 2018: Ukrainian Orthodox Church attains autocephaly
With the attainment of autocephaly by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in December 2018 and subsequent schism of the Russian Orthodox Church from Constantinople, experts concluded that Putin's policy in post-Soviet republics backfired, leading to him "annexing Crimea, but losing Ukraine".
2018: Forbes' Dictator Accusation
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".
2018: Allegation of sensory room installed in Putin's residence
In 2018, the Russian political magazine Sobesednik alleged that Vladimir Putin had a sensory room installed in his private residence in the Novgorod Oblast.
June 2020: Political prisoners in Russia
As of June 2020, the Memorial Human Rights Center reported 380 political prisoners in Russia, including individuals prosecuted for political activities and involvement with banned Muslim organizations. A significant portion of these prisoners were residents of Crimea.
November 2020: Allegation of another daughter
In November 2020, an investigation by Proekt alleged that Putin has another daughter, Elizaveta, also known as Luiza Rozova, with Svetlana Krivonogikh.
2020: Belton's Account
In 2020, Catherine Belton wrote about Putin's alleged involvement in KGB coordination and support for the Red Army Faction.
2020: Law on "foreign agents" signed
In 2020, Putin signed a law that labels individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents".
January 2021: Navalny's investigation into "Putin's Palace"
In January 2021, Alexei Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) released a video investigation accusing Putin of using illicit funds to construct an elaborate estate for himself, referring to it as "the world's biggest bribe." The investigation detailed the estate's size and cost, and alleged a corruption scheme involving Putin's inner circle.
July 2021: Article on the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians
In July 2021, Putin published a lengthy article titled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians", saying the formation of a Ukrainian state hostile to Moscow was "comparable in its consequences to the use of weapons of mass destruction against us", and it was made mandatory reading for military-political training in the Russian Armed Forces.
November 2021: The Economist on Putin's shift
In November 2021, The Economist noted that Putin had "shifted from autocracy to dictatorship", characterizing his increasing control and suppression of dissent.
February 2022: Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to international condemnation and sanctions.
February 2022: Support for "special military operation" in Ukraine
In late February 2022, a survey conducted by the independent research group Russian Field found that 59% of respondents supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine. According to the poll, in the group of 18-to-24-year-olds, only 29% supported the "special military operation".
March 2022: Ukrainians' Unfavorable View of Putin and Russia
In March 2022, a poll indicated that 97% of Ukrainians held 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 published on 30 March in Russia saw Putin's approval rating jump, from 71% in February, to 83%.
March 2022: Support for "special military operation" in Ukraine
In mid-March 2022 two polls surveyed Russians' sentiments about the "special military operation" in Ukraine. The results were obtained by Radio Liberty. 71% of Russians polled said that they supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine.
April 2022: Speculation about Putin's health
In April 2022, The Sun reported that Vladimir Putin might have Parkinson's disease based on video footage. This speculation was rejected by the Kremlin and outside medical professionals.
September 2022: Annexation of Ukrainian Oblasts
In September 2022, Putin announced a partial mobilization and forcibly annexed four Ukrainian oblasts into Russia.
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: Invasion of Ukraine
As of 2024, no data is available since before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine regarding the reporting of Russian military emissions, which is voluntary.
2022: Russian Media Censorship Following Invasion of Ukraine
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 employ information only from state sources, banning the use of the words "war", "invasion", or "aggression" to describe the invasion.
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.
2022: Escalation of political repressions
In 2022, Putin increased political repressions after launching his full-scale war with Ukraine, contributing to international observers deeming the 2024 election as not free or fair.
2022: Condemnation over Ukraine invasion
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 likened Putin to Adolf Hitler, and Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins also drew comparisons to Hitler.
2022: International condemnation of Russian invasion of Ukraine
In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison condemned the invasion as "unprovoked, unjust, and illegal" and labeled Putin a "thug". New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also denounced Putin as a "bully". Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama and the Solomon Islands UN ambassador also condemned the conflict.
March 2023: ICC Arrest Warrant
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes related to child abductions during the war.
September 2023: Limited Active Support for War in Ukraine
In September 2023, Valery Fyodorov, head of the VTsIOM state pollster, stated that only 10–15% of Russians actively supported the war in Ukraine, and that "most Russians are not demanding the conquest of Kyiv or Odesa".
2023: Der Spiegel Investigation
In 2023, Der Spiegel reported that the anonymous source claiming Putin's involvement with the RAF was a fabulist.
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.
September 2024: Nuclear Retaliation Warning
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. He also threatened nuclear powers supporting attacks on Russia, stating they would be considered participants in the aggression.
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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