Early Life and Education of Vladimir Putin: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Vladimir Putin, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

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.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1940: Birth of Viktor Putin

In 1940, Viktor Putin (Putin's brother) was born.

1941: Death of Maternal Grandmother

In 1941, Putin's maternal grandmother was killed by German occupiers of Tver region.

1942: Father Wounded in War

In 1942, Putin's father was severely wounded while serving in the regular army during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.

1942: Death of Viktor Putin

In 1942, Viktor Putin (Putin's brother) died of diphtheria and starvation during the Siege of Leningrad.

October 1952: Putin's Birth

In October 1952, Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad, Soviet Union.

September 1960: Started School

In September 1960, Putin started at School No. 193 at Baskov Lane.

1965: Death of Spiridon Putin

In 1965, Spiridon Putin (Putin's grandfather) passed away.

1970: Started Law Studies

In 1970, Putin began studying law at the Leningrad State University.

1975: Graduated from Leningrad State University

In 1975, Putin graduated from Leningrad State University.

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.

July 1983: Marriage to Lyudmila Shkrebneva

On 28 July 1983, Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva.

April 1985: Birth of Maria Putina

On 28 April 1985, Maria Putina, Putin's daughter, was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg).

August 1986: Birth of Yekaterina Putina

On 31 August 1986, Yekaterina Putina, Putin's daughter, was born in Dresden, East Germany (now Germany).

November 1989: Fall of Berlin Wall

In November 1989, during the fall of the Berlin Wall, Putin reportedly saved files from the Soviet Cultural Center and the KGB villa in Dresden.

1989: Confrontations with Anti-Communist Protesters

In 1989, Putin recounted his confrontations with anti-communist protestors in Dresden.

1990: End of East Germany Stay

In 1990, Putin and his family concluded their stay in East Germany, where they had been living since 1985.

1990: Paris Charter

In 1990, the Paris Charter was produced by a summit including European governments, the U.S., and the Soviet Union, convened as Communism crumbled across Eastern Europe.

1991: End of Communist Party Membership

In 1991, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ceased to exist, ending Putin's membership.

1993: Car crash involving Putin's wife

In 1993, Vladimir Putin's wife was involved in a serious car crash, an event that Putin stated marked the beginning of his religious awakening.

August 1996: Fire at Putin's dacha

In August 1996, a fire burned down Vladimir Putin's dacha, an event that he has stated contributed to his religious awakening.

1996: Formation of Ozero Cooperative

In 1996, Putin and a group of seven friends formally registered their fraternity as a co-operative society, calling it Ozero ("Lake") and turning it into a gated community.

1997: Received Degree in Economics

In 1997, Putin received a degree in economics at the Saint Petersburg Mining University.

1998: Death of Maria Ivanovna Putina

In 1998, Maria Ivanovna Putina (Putin's mother) passed away.

1999: Death of Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin

In 1999, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin (Putin's father) passed away.

March 2003: Birth of Elizaveta Rozova (alleged daughter)

In March 2003, Elizaveta, also known as Luiza Rozova, (allegedly Putin's daughter) was born.

2006: Putin's income

In 2006, Putin's reported income totaled 2 million rubles (approximately $152,000).

2007: Putin's Wealth Disclosure

During the legislative election of 2007, official figures put Putin's wealth at approximately 3.7 million rubles (US$280,000) in bank accounts, a private 77.4-square-meter apartment in Saint Petersburg, and other assets.

2007: Sochi wins bid for 2014 Winter Olympics

In 2007, Putin led a successful effort for Sochi to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the first Winter Olympic Games held in Russia.

2007: Cultivating a tough guy image

In 2007, as part of a public relations approach, Putin cultivated a cult of personality with an outdoorsy, athletic, tough guy public image. The tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda published a photograph of a shirtless Putin vacationing in the Siberian mountains under the headline "Be Like Putin".

2007: CIA's wealth estimation

In 2007, the CIA estimated Putin's wealth at $40 billion.

2007: Putin's remarks on his belief in God

In 2007, when questioned about his belief in God, Vladimir Putin stated that there are things he believes that he would not share with the public, as it could be seen as self-advertising.

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.

2008: Kazan wins bid for 2013 Summer Universiade

In 2008, the city of Kazan won the bid for the 2013 Summer Universiade.

2009: Watch Gifts

In 2009, Putin gave a Blancpain watch to a Siberian boy and another similar watch to a factory worker.

December 2010: Russia wins right to host FIFA Confederations Cup and World Cup

On 2 December 2010, Russia won the right to host the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the first time in Russian history.

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: Birth of Grandson

In 2012, Putin had a grandson through his daughter Maria.

2012: Putin's Income Disclosure

In 2012, Putin reported an income of 3.6 million rubles ($270,000), as part of his official financial disclosures.

2012: Izborsky Club founded

In 2012, the Izborsky Club, a conservative think tank, was founded by Alexander Prokhanov to promote Russian nationalism and opposition to liberal ideas.

June 2013: Divorce Announcement

On 6 June 2013, Putin and Lyudmila announced that their marriage was over, ending their long-term relationship.

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.

April 2014: Divorce Finalized

On 1 April 2014, the Kremlin confirmed that the divorce between Putin and Lyudmila had been finalised, marking the end of their marriage.

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: Death of dog Konni

In 2014, Konni, one of the five dogs Putin received from national leaders, died.

2014: Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics

In 2014, the Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics were held, marking the first time Russia hosted the Winter Olympic Games.

December 2015: Statement on Ukrainian culture and literature

In late December 2015, Putin stated that "the Ukrainian culture, as well as Ukrainian literature, surely has a source of its own".

2015: Reported birth of daughter

In 2015, Kabaeva reportedly gave birth to a daughter by Putin; this report was denied.

2017: Criticism of violence in Myanmar

In 2017, Putin criticized violence in Myanmar against Rohingya minorities.

2017: Births of Grandson and Granddaughter

In 2017, Putin had a grandson through Maria and a granddaughter through Katerina.

2017: Russia wins right to host FIFA Confederations Cup

In 2017, Russia hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup.

2018: Russia hosts FIFA World Cup

In 2018, Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

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.

2019: Reported birth of twin sons

In 2019, Kabaeva reportedly gave birth to twin sons by Putin.

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: Supported efforts to reduce abortions

In 2020, Putin supported efforts to reduce the number of abortions instead of prohibiting it.

2020: Supported constitutional referendum

In 2020, Putin supported the Russian constitutional referendum, which defined marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman.

2020: Constitutional Reference to God

One of the 2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia has a constitutional reference to God.

April 2021: Constitutional Amendments

In April 2021, Putin signed constitutional amendments into law allowing him to run for reelection twice more.

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: William Burns personal meeting with Putin

In November 2021, William Burns, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, had a personal meeting with Vladimir Putin.

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.

July 2022: CIA Director William Burns comments on Putin's health

In July 2022, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns stated that they had no evidence to suggest Vladimir Putin was unstable or in bad health. This statement was made amidst increasing media speculation about Putin's health.

2022: Conflicting reports of childbirth

In 2022, Swiss media, citing the couple's Swiss gynecologist, wrote that Kabaeva gave birth to a boy on both occasions.

November 2023: Putin urges Russian women to have more children

On 28 November 2023, Putin, in a speech to the World Russian People's Council, urged Russian women to have "seven, eight, or even more children", advocating for large families to become the norm in Russia.

February 2024: Interview with Tucker Carlson

Since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, Putin granted only one interview to a Western journalist, Tucker Carlson, in February 2024.

August 2024: Prisoner Swap Involving Evan Gershkovich

In August 2024, Putin pardoned American journalist Evan Gershkovich, opposition figures Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, and others, in a prisoner swap with Western countries. This exchange was the most extensive between Russia and the United States since the end of the Cold War, involving the release of 26 people.

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.