On a cold day in the autumn of 1952, Vladimir Putin was born at Maternity Hospital No. 6, locally known as Snegiryov hospital, five minutes' walk from his parents' home on Baskov Lane in Leningrad. The hospital, founded in 1771 by Empress Catherine the Great, was the oldest in the Soviet Union and "reputedly the best in Leningrad", writes Phillip Short in Putin's biography, Putin: His Life and Times.&nbsp;

Twelve years after Catherine the Great founded the hospital where Putin was born, her forces captured present-day Crimea from the Ottomans. By 1783, Catherine had successfully concluded Crimea's annexation.&nbsp;

Putin was to follow the great Russian empress' footsteps 231 years later in a completely different world whose semblance of stability depends on rules-based international order. In February 2014, as Russian president, he launched an invasion of the Crimean peninsula. Crimea was annexed completely by the end of March 2014.&nbsp;

The lasting evolution of Putin's statesmanly legacy is now seen through the lens of the events of February-March, 2014 when the Russian forces annexed Crimea. The invasion of Ukraine six years later in 2022 further complicated his leadership credentials with attributes of militaristic authoritarianism dominating the hue of democracy that Putin claims to be drawing credibility from.

At 71, Putin has won a fifth presidential tenure in Moscow's corridors of power, surpassing Josef Stalin. By the time he completes his tenure in 2030, he will become the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great herself.&nbsp;

<h2>Vladimir Putin: The child 'who could get into a fight with anyone'</h2>

Decades after Leningrad became St. Petersburg following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin wrote that he had been a hooligan as a child.&nbsp;

Historian Dmitry Travin, who also grew up in Leningrad in the 1960s, recounted: "It wasn't so much that conflicts sought him out, it was he who was looking for conflicts. Whenever a fight broke out, Putin was first to pile in."

Viktor Borisenko, who became Putin's "best friend at school" and for four years shared a desk with him, told Philip Short: "He could get into a fight with anyone. It still amazes me... He had no fear. He didn't seem to have an inner instinct for self-preservation. It never occurred to him that the other boy was stronger and might beat him up... If some hulking guy offended him, he would jump at him, scratch him, bite him, pull out clumps of his hair... He wasn't the strongest in our class, but in a fight he could beat anyone, because he would get into a fight with anyone."

<h2>Vladimir Putin: From Intelligence Tsar to President</h2>

As the product of the Class of 1975 of Leningrad State University, Putin served 15 years as a foreign intelligence officer for the KGB (Committee for State Security). A year before the Soviet Union's collapse, in 1990, Putin retired as Lieutenant Colonel.&nbsp;

In the new Russia, he wore a politician's hat. In 1994, he became the Deputy Mayor of Saint Petersburg.&nbsp;

Two years later, in 1996, Putin moved to Moscow to join the Kremlin as an administrator.&nbsp;

In 1998, President Boris Yeltsin appointed him as director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor of the KGB.&nbsp;

Since then he never had to turn back.

But it was Yeltsin's perceived vodka-drinking aloofness that paved the way for Putin's emergence on top.&nbsp;

In 1999, when he appointed Putin as Prime Minister, the young spymaster was quick to win the support of presidential aides. When Yeltsin stepped down, Putin was an obvious choice to lead the big but weak Russia of 1999 which was feeling threatened by an expanding US-led military alliance: the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or NATO.

After briefly serving as acting president, in 2000, Putin began his first term as president after the country's presidential elections.

As Russian president, Putin went to London on his first visit abroad when former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was the occupant of 10, Downing Street.&nbsp;

"I believe that Vladimir Putin is a leader who is ready to embrace a new relationship with the European Union and the United States, who wants a strong and modern Russia and a strong relationship with the West," Blair said.&nbsp;

During Putin's initial years as president, Russian ties with the West remained cordial. He supported the US' war on terror in response to the 9/11 attacks. But two years later, in 2003, Putin was one of those world leaders who did not buy into Washington's 'weapons of mass destruction' (WMDs) reasoning to invade Iraq.&nbsp;

This was also a period when Russia, under Putin was rebuilding its economy. In 2004, just a year into the Iraq invasion, NATO expanded further to the east, this time taking the three Baltic countries — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, all sharing borders with Russia — and four others in Eastern Europe into its fold.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/putins-actions-in-ukraine-do-not-make-indians-anti-russia-heres-why-613578">Putin's actions in Ukraine do not make Indians anti-Russia. Here's why</a>

On February 24, 2022, while declaring war on Ukraine, Putin described NATO's expansion in Europe towards Russian borders as "fundamental threats against our country that year after year, step by step, are offensively and unceremoniously created by irresponsible politicians in the West."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-nato-against-inclusion-of-finland-sweden-440093">Russia warns NATO against inclusion of Finland, Sweden</a>

“I am referring to the expansion of NATO to the east, moving its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders. It is well known that for 30 years we have persistently and patiently tried to reach an agreement with the leading NATO countries on the principles of equal and inviolable security in Europe," Putin said.&nbsp;

Over two years into the war in Ukraine, Putin's goal of annexing all of Ukraine is far from complete. But despite the crippling nature of Western sanctions, by promoting manufacturing at home, sourcing the imports from 'friendly' countries, and gradually decreasing the discounts on oil exports, Putin has managed to keep the Russian economy afloat.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Putin wins another term as Russian President in a landslide victory

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On March 17, he won a fifth tenure as Russian president. Viktor Borisenko's best friend from that Leningrad school has now learned the art of self-preservation. In the class of world leaders, he may still not be the strongest of all. But he has picked up a fight — in Ukraine, with the collective West — on Russia's behalf. The question is not whether will he win that fight or not.

The larger threat for Putin's foes remains the extreme steps he could take — such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-war-putin-says-russia-is-ready-to-use-nuclear-weapons-699843">potentially pushing the nuclear button</a> — to ensure his winnability in this fight.&nbsp;

On a cold day in the autumn of 1952, Vladimir Putin was born at Maternity Hospital No. 6, locally known as Snegiryov hospital, five minutes' walk from his parents' home on Baskov Lane in Leningrad.

On a cold day in the autumn of 1952, Vladimir Putin was born at Maternity Hospital No. 6, locally known as Snegiryov hospital, five minutes' walk from his parents' home on Baskov Lane in Leningrad. The hospital, founded in 1771 by Empress Catherine the Great, was the oldest in the Soviet Union and "reputedly the best in Leningrad", writes Phillip Short in Putin's biography, Putin: His Life and Times. Twelve years after Catherine the Great founded the hospital where Putin was born, her forces captured present-day Crimea from the Ottomans. By 1783, Catherine had successfully concluded Crimea's annexation. Putin was to follow the great Russian empress' footsteps 231 years later in a completely different world whose semblance of stability depends on rules-based international order. In February 2014, as Russian president, he launched an invasion of the Crimean peninsula. Crimea was annexed completely by the end of March 2014. The lasting evolution of Putin's statesmanly legacy is now seen through the lens of the events of February-March, 2014 when the Russian forces annexed Crimea. The invasion of Ukraine six years later in 2022 further complicated his leadership credentials with attributes of militaristic authoritarianism dominating the hue of democracy that Putin claims to be drawing credibility from. At 71, Putin has won a fifth presidential tenure in Moscow's corridors of power, surpassing Josef Stalin. By the time he completes his tenure in 2030, he will become the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great herself. Vladimir Putin: The child 'who could get into a fight with anyone' Decades after Leningrad became St. Petersburg following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin wrote that he had been a hooligan as a child. Historian Dmitry Travin, who also grew up in Leningrad in the 1960s, recounted: "It wasn't so much that conflicts sought him out, it was he who was looking for conflicts. Whenever a fight broke out, Putin was first to pile in." Viktor Borisenko, who became Putin's "best friend at school" and for four years shared a desk with him, told Philip Short: "He could get into a fight with anyone. It still amazes me... He had no fear. He didn't seem to have an inner instinct for self-preservation. It never occurred to him that the other boy was stronger and might beat him up... If some hulking guy offended him, he would jump at him, scratch him, bite him, pull out clumps of his hair... He wasn't the strongest in our class, but in a fight he could beat anyone, because he would get into a fight with anyone." Vladimir Putin: From Intelligence Tsar to President As the product of the Class of 1975 of Leningrad State University, Putin served 15 years as a foreign intelligence officer for the KGB (Committee for State Security). A year before the Soviet Union's collapse, in 1990, Putin retired as Lieutenant Colonel. In the new Russia, he wore a politician's hat. In 1994, he became the Deputy Mayor of Saint Petersburg. Two years later, in 1996, Putin moved to Moscow to join the Kremlin as an administrator. In 1998, President Boris Yeltsin appointed him as director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor of the KGB. Since then he never had to turn back. But it was Yeltsin's perceived vodka-drinking aloofness that paved the way for Putin's emergence on top. In 1999, when he appointed Putin as Prime Minister, the young spymaster was quick to win the support of presidential aides. When Yeltsin stepped down, Putin was an obvious choice to lead the big but weak Russia of 1999 which was feeling threatened by an expanding US-led military alliance: the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or NATO. After briefly serving as acting president, in 2000, Putin began his first term as president after the country's presidential elections. As Russian president, Putin went to London on his first visit abroad when former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was the occupant of 10, Downing Street. "I believe that Vladimir Putin is a leader who is ready to embrace a new relationship with the European Union and the United States, who wants a strong and modern Russia and a strong relationship with the West," Blair said. During Putin's initial years as president, Russian ties with the West remained cordial. He supported the US' war on terror in response to the 9/11 attacks. But two years later, in 2003, Putin was one of those world leaders who did not buy into Washington's 'weapons of mass destruction' (WMDs) reasoning to invade Iraq. This was also a period when Russia, under Putin was rebuilding its economy. In 2004, just a year into the Iraq invasion, NATO expanded further to the east, this time taking the three Baltic countries — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, all sharing borders with Russia — and four others in Eastern Europe into its fold. Also read | Putin's actions in Ukraine do not make Indians anti-Russia. Here's why On February 24, 2022, while declaring war on Ukraine, Putin described NATO's expansion in Europe towards Russian borders as "fundamental threats against our country that year after year, step by step, are offensively and unceremoniously created by irresponsible politicians in the West." Also read | Russia warns NATO against inclusion of Finland, Sweden “I am referring to the expansion of NATO to the east, moving its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders. It is well known that for 30 years we have persistently and patiently tried to reach an agreement with the leading NATO countries on the principles of equal and inviolable security in Europe," Putin said. Over two years into the war in Ukraine, Putin's goal of annexing all of Ukraine is far from complete. But despite the crippling nature of Western sanctions, by promoting manufacturing at home, sourcing the imports from 'friendly' countries, and gradually decreasing the discounts on oil exports, Putin has managed to keep the Russian economy afloat. Also watch | Putin wins another term as Russian President in a landslide victory × On March 17, he won a fifth tenure as Russian president. Viktor Borisenko's best friend from that Leningrad school has now learned the art of self-preservation. In the class of world leaders, he may still not be the strongest of all. But he has picked up a fight — in Ukraine, with the collective West — on Russia's behalf. The question is not whether will he win that fight or not. The larger threat for Putin's foes remains the extreme steps he could take — such as potentially pushing the nuclear button — to ensure his winnability in this fight.

Vladimir Putin: From Soviet fight-picking child to Russia's reigning president

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Federal Security Service to step up surveillance of Russians and borders. Watch this video to know more.

Vladimir Putin orders FSB to step up surveillance of Russians and borders

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Vladimir Putin: From Soviet fight-picking child to Russia's reigning president

Vladimir Putin orders FSB to step up surveillance of Russians and borders