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 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.
1972: 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.
1978: Publication of "Strategic Planning and Policy"
In 1978, King and Cleland's "Strategic Planning and Policy" was published, which was later alleged to have been plagiarized by Putin in his thesis.
1987: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Some analysts believe that this nuclear strategy under Putin has brought Russia into violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
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.
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.
2002: Otto von Habsburg criticizes Putin
In 2002, Otto von Habsburg, the last crown prince of Austria-Hungary, criticized Putin in a newspaper interview, calling him an "international threat".
March 2003: Birth of Elizaveta Rozova
In March 2003, Elizaveta, also known as Luiza Rozova, was born, allegedly the daughter of Vladimir Putin with Svetlana Krivonogikh.
2003: Otto von Habsburg warns of Putin
In 2003, Otto von Habsburg warned of Putin in a speech, describing him as "cruel and oppressive".
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: Otto von Habsburg speech about Putin
In 2005, Otto von Habsburg gave a speech, referring to Putin as a "stone cold technocrat".
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: Putin kisses boy's stomach
In 2006, Putin lifted the shirt of a boy to kiss his stomach without permission, an incident that Tatiana Mikhailova cites as an example of Putin's image building attempt.
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.
December 2007: Russia suspends participation in treaty
On 11 December 2007, Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty.
2007: CIA estimate of Putin's wealth
In 2007, the CIA estimated Putin's wealth to be around $40 billion, contributing to contradictory claims about his fortune analyzed by Polygraph.info.
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".
April 2008: Report of Putin's divorce and engagement to Alina Kabaeva
In April 2008, the Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that Putin had divorced Lyudmila and was engaged to marry Alina Kabaeva, which was subsequently denied and the newspaper shut down.
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: 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.
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: Allegations about "Putin's Palace"
In 2012, Sergei Kolesnikov alleged that he had been ordered to oversee the building of "Putin's Palace", a mansion near the Black Sea, with state funds used for its construction and security.
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: Izborsky Club founded
In 2012, the Izborsky Club was founded by Alexander Prokhanov, emphasizing Russian nationalism, the restoration of Russia's historical greatness, and opposition to liberal ideas and policies, as part of Putin's promotion of conservative policies.
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.
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.
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: Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, Putin's tenure included 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 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.
2014: Henry Kissinger on Putin
In 2014, former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger wrote that the West has demonized Putin.
2015: Reported birth of Putin's daughter with Kabaeva
In 2015, Kabaeva reportedly gave birth to a daughter by Putin; this report was denied.
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".
April 2016: Panama Papers leak
In April 2016, the Panama Papers leak revealed that close associates of Putin owned offshore companies worth US$2 billion in total.
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.
2016: Legislation Prohibiting Missionary Activity
In 2016, Vladimir Putin oversaw the passage of legislation that prohibited missionary activity in Russia.
2016: Putin called the "Tsar of corruption"
In 2016, opposition activist and blogger Alexei Navalny described Putin as the "Tsar of corruption".
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".
2017: Putin criticizes violence in Myanmar against Rohingya minorities
In 2017, Putin criticized violence in Myanmar against the Rohingya minorities.
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%.
2019: Reported birth of twin sons by Putin and Kabaeva
In 2019, Kabaeva reportedly gave birth to twin sons by Putin.
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.
November 2020: Investigation into Putin's alleged daughter
An investigation by Proekt published in November 2020 alleged that Putin has another daughter, Elizaveta, also known as Luiza Rozova, with Svetlana Krivonogikh.
2020: Belton's Account of Putin's KGB Involvement
In 2020, Catherine Belton wrote that the downplaying was actually a cover for Putin's involvement in KGB coordination and support for the terrorist Red Army Faction (RAF).
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."
2020: Putin supports efforts to reduce abortion numbers
In 2020, Putin supported efforts to reduce the number of abortions in Russia instead of prohibiting it.
2020: Putin supports constitutional referendum defining marriage
In 2020, Putin supported the Russian constitutional referendum, which passed and defined marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman in the Constitution of Russia.
2020: Amendment to the Constitution of Russia
One of the 2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia directly refers to belief in God.
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.
July 2021: Putin publishes article on unity of Russians and Ukrainians
In July 2021, Putin published a lengthy article titled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians," revisiting earlier themes. He described the formation of a Ukrainian state hostile to Moscow as "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: 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.
April 2022: Parkinson's Disease Speculation
In April 2022, The Sun newspaper reported speculations, not medically supported, that Putin may have Parkinson's disease based on video footage.
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: 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: Swiss media reports on Kabaeva's childbirths
In 2022, Swiss media, citing the couple's Swiss gynecologist, wrote that on both occasions Kabaeva gave birth to a boy.
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".
November 2023: Putin urges Russian women to have "seven, eight, or even more children"
On 28 November 2023, during a speech to the World Russian People's Council, Putin urged Russian women to have "seven, eight, or even more children" and said "large families must become the norm, a way of life for all of Russia's people".
2023: Der Spiegel Investigation
In 2023, Der Spiegel reported that the anonymous source had never been an RAF member and is "considered a notorious fabulist" with "several previous convictions, including for making false statements."
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".
2024: Putin wins presidential election with 88% of vote
In the 2024 Russian presidential election, Putin achieved 88% of the popular vote, with reports of irregularities including ballot stuffing and coercion.
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.
June 2025: Condemnation of Trump's Strikes and Russian Strikes Against Ukraine
On June 22, 2025, Vladimir Putin condemned Trump's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as an "unprovoked act of aggression", while simultaneously authorizing Russian strikes against Ukraine.
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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