Vladimir Putin is one of the world's most well-known leaders. He's also one of the most concerning figures. Putin has invaded neighboring countries, suppressed journalists and free speech in his own country, and appears to have solidified complete control of the region in recent years. As his clout grew, a slew of intriguing stories about him surfaced. Aside from his public career, Putin has lived a life that no one could wish for.
10Putin's Prolonged Lateness
. The first visit to Russia by Pope Francis was in 2013. He was scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin there, but something unusual occurred. Pope Francis sat in silence for 50 minutes. After making the Pope wait for nearly an hour, Putin finally arrived. For Putin, this isn't a one-off occurrence. Putin is frequently late for press conferences and other public appearances, according to journalists. Putin appears unconcerned about anyone he meets, regardless of their status. Putin held out Secretary of State John Kerry for three hours in 2012. He missed a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 because he was running late. Putin is always late, even if it's completely inappropriate. He arrived two hours late to a meeting of grieving parents of children who had been killed, according to reports.
He's kept high-ranking officials waiting for up to four hours. During the invasion of Crimea, this was the case with Ukraine's president. Putin snubbed the president even more by spending much of the time talking to a biker on the street while he waited. He's not only late in his personal life. When they first started dating, he was always late, according to his ex-wife, which drove her to tears. So, why does Putin act the way he does?
Some speculate that he does so in order to manipulate people's emotions. Putin's actions are "born of a desire to demonstrate that he occupies a 'tsar's place' in world politics, as he did during the heyday of the Russian empire," according to political commentator Dimitry Abramov. Putin essentially wants to project an image of total dominance.
9 Putin could be the wealthiest man on the planet.
Putin is Russia's most powerful person, so it's only natural that he has a higher standard of living than the average Russian. Despite this, he appears to have a staggering personal fortune of $200 billion. Bill Browder, a former Russian fund manager who has become a Putin critic, came up with that figure. Putin, according to Browder, has built a financial empire that would make him the world's richest man. Putin's alleged net worth is more than twice that of Bill Gates, to put things in perspective. Even so, there are those who accuse you of cheating. Putin claimed a yearly income of only 3.6 million rubles ($101,000) in 2013.
While Putin's supporters claim that he lives a respectable life, his net worth was estimated to be $40 billion in 2007 and $70 billion in 2012. So, where does this wealth come from? Putin allegedly owned 37 percent of the oil company Surgutneftegaz and 4.5 percent of the natural gas company Gazprom, according to Russian political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky. However, most of the assets Putin is said to own are almost impossible to link to him. Consider it in these terms: As Russia's leader, he is free to use any assets he sees fit, even for personal gain. Despite these allegations of alleged corruption, the majority of Russians have remained unconcerned
8 The Presidential Palace of Vladimir Putin
Putin's $1 billion estate on the Black Sea coast has been revealed, in addition to any monetary wealth. It began as a simple summer house but grew into a modern palace. Images of the palace, which were first seen by satellite, revealed a massive marble complex with gardens, a private theater, and three helicopter landing pads. Soon after, the question of how all of this was paid for arose. Lie, deception, and a fair amount of smoke and mirrors, according to a former Putin associate. Sergei Kolesnikov, a Russian exile, claimed Putin and his associates devised a plan to improve Russian hospitals. They were able to persuade a number of Russian billionaires to donate to the project, which they then used to fund it.
This was done at a reduced cost to Kolesnikov's company, and Putin instructed him to invest the savings in offshore investments without informing the donors. Some of the funds went to the shipbuilding industry, but the majority went to "Project South" (also known as Putin's palace). During the construction of the palace, Kolesnikov claimed to have been with Putin as he discussed security details. He never attempted to defend the palace. He simply believed that he was entitled to it. Even so, the estate is shrouded in mystery. Officially, the Kremlin claims that it had no involvement in the palace's construction or ownership. However, documents show that Vladimir Kozhin, the head of the Department of Presidential Affairs, approved the mansion's construction.
Not only that, but the estate was allegedly guarded by both Kremlin security guards and private guards. The security firm, on the other hand, denies this, claiming that their employees were given Kremlin uniforms and ID cards.
7 Putin's tumultuous marital and divorce histor
Putin divorced Lyudmila, his almost 30-year-old wife, in 2013. Few people knew he was married, so it came as a surprise to many. The union's specifics were only known by the Russian elite and Western journalists. Putin had been photographed with his wife, but few knew who she was. Vladimir and Lyudmila were the subject of rumors, but none of them were positive. Lyudmila was allegedly compelled to enter a convent, according to some sources. Others claimed she was poisoned or murdered. Putin's marriage, in any case, was unique. Putin was characterized as an abuser and philanderer during his KGB days in the 1980s. Putin's marriage, therefore, appears to have been doomed from the start. When Putin took office in 1999,
The Putins have two children, both of whom were adults at the time of Putin's divorce announcement. Putin was rumored to be dating someone else before the divorce, but Vladimir and Lyudmila announced their separation mutually. The most intriguing fact about divorce in Russia is that if a couple divorces, they must split their income 50-50. Was Putin's split going to be based on his meager salary or his multibillion-dollar fortune?
6 Putin drank a national treasure of Ukraine.
International condemnation greeted Putin's invasion of the Ukrainian region of Crimea. He was, however, given permission to acquire the land, and he soon had entire authority. Ukraine's citizens were understandably enraged by this. But it was what Putin did next that enraged them the most: he drank a 240-year-old bottle of wine with disgraced former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which was a national treasure in Ukraine. Putin went to the Massandra Winery after claiming control of Crimea, claiming to have the world's largest wine collection. He and Berlusconi drank a bottle of 1775 Jeres de la Frontera brought to the region by Count Mikhail Vorontsov during Catherine the Great's reign of terror.
While this may have appeared to be a friendly gesture, the previous prosecutor general of Crimea did not perceive it that way. He sued Putin in 2014 for the bottle, claiming £60,000 in damages. Because of the state of affairs under Putin, it is questionable if Ukraine's issue will receive any real attention. Berlusconi's visit to the region, however, was said to be unlawful by Ukraine's foreign minister since it violated EU standards.
