Born Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (7 October 1952), served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia. Putin won the 2000 presidential election and in 2004 he was re-elected for a second term lasting until 7 May 2008. Due to constitutionally mandated term limits, Putin was ineligible to run for a third consecutive presidential term. After the victory of his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, in the 2008 presidential elections, he was nominated by the latter to be Russia's Prime Minister. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing the rule of law. During his eight years in office, due to strong macroeconomic management, important fiscal policy reforms, and a confluence of high oil prices, surging capital inflows, and access to low-cost external financing, Russia's economy bounced back from crisis. Analysts have described Putin's economic reforms as impressive. At the same time, his conduct in office has been questioned by domestic political opposition, foreign governments, and human rights organizations for leading the Second Chechen War, for his record on internal human rights and freedoms, and for his alleged bullying of the former Soviet Republics. Putin has been critisized for developing close personal ties with a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy as well as for developing a cult of personality.

The 2012 Russian presidential election was held on 4 March 2012. There were five officially-registered candidates: four representatives of registered parties and one independent. The election was for a new, extended term of six years.Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin received 63.64% of the vote with almost 100% of the votes counted. With this win he has secured a record third term in the Kremlin.