When Boris Yeltsin resigned as president of the Russian Federation, it
was expected, but sudden. He resigned so his Prime Minister, Vladimir
Putin could become president on January 1, 2000 – the start of the new
millennium. Since then, Putin has been the most powerful man in Russia
and one of the most powerful men in the world. Today that power has been felt worldwide as the war in the Ukraine rages, contributing to gas
price hikes, food insecurity in many countries, and not exactly helping
the soaring inflation felt around the world. It may surprise many to
learn that this man who was only the Russian Federation’s second
president is not a career politician and had his position more or less
thrust upon him precisely because of this. So how did Vladimir Putin
come into power in the first place, and how has he managed to maintain
his position as the leader of Russia for so long?
Host: Simon Whistler
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