Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) on October 7, 1952. His grandfather was personal cook to both Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. He was the youngest of three children. His older brothers, born in the mid-thirties, had both died; one in infancy, the other in the seige of Leningrad during the war. He entered the KGB soon after graduating from law school and, working for them, was transferred to Moscow.

He became acting president of Russia and then president in 2004. He was prime minister from 2008 to 2012, but then became president again in 2012. His popularity as president was based partly on the fact that the Russian economy grew significantly in the times when he was president, with wages increasing and unemployment and poverty decreasing sharply. He is also known for reforming the military, winning the Second Chechen War and annexing the Crimea. He is strongly criticized for corruption and for making Russia more authoritarian - he has strengthened his own position over the years - but he has given Russians a sense of pride in resisting the forces of the west in Ukraine and other places, and is in general still popular as a leader.

___ 1. Which of the following is Putin not known for?
a. being a strong leader
b. strengthening the Russian economy
c. being hated by his people
d. having some corruption in his administration

___ 2. In the first paragraph, fourth sentence, "during the war" probably refers to:
a. the Second Chechen War
b. World War II
c. World War I
d. the annexation of the Crimea

___ 3. From the passage, what can we infer about Russians' feelings about the Ukraine?
a. They detest Putin and his military actions
b. They distrust the west and support Putin
c. They dislike Ukrainians and don't care what happens to them
d. They are eager to make Russia larger