After the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Putin retired and returned to Leningrad as a supporter of liberal politician Anatoly Sobchak, according to History.com.
Putin was formally elected president of Russia on March 26, 2000, capturing more than 50% of the vote, NPR reported.
As president, Putin divided Russia’s 89 regions and republics into seven new federal districts, which were each headed by a representative appointed by Putin, according to Britannica.
Constitutional term limits meant Putin could not run for reelection in 2008, but when his protégé Dmitry Medvedev was elected to the presidency in 2008, he appointed Putin as the country’s prime minister, Biography.com reported.
Photos: Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president ISTANBUL, TURKEY – JANUARY 08: Russian President Vladimir Putin talks onstage at the opening ceremony of the Turkstream Gas Pipeline Project on January 08, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey.
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