The President of Russia is an officer. This is quite natural, a significant part of his life was spent in the service. Everyone knows that Vladimir Vladimirovich passed it in the USSR State Security Committee, an organization that was rightfully considered a stronghold of Soviet power, for which some respected it, others were afraid. It was not easy to become a KGB employee, the candidate passed a multi-level test for loyalty, honesty, impeccable behavior and even for undesirable kinship. The presidency is usually combined with another post - the Commander- in -Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This means that at the moment all the most senior generals obey him. In Stalin's, and Brezhnev’s times too, the issue of subordination was solved simply. The head of state and party became in one case the generalissimo, in the other - the marshal. Today, not everyone even knows what title Putin has. And it, by state standards, is quite low.
The childhood of the future president
The Russian leader was born in 1952. His family was ordinary: father Vladimir Spiridonovich - a worker, a craftsman, who fought and was wounded at the front. When the son was born, he was 41 years old. Mother, Maria Ivanovna, is also a factory worker, her husband's age, a blockade. So the child was late, desired and at that time the only one (two older brothers died in the thirties). According to family tradition, Putin’s grandfather, Spiridon Ivanovich, was a famous chef who cooked delicious dishes for the first Soviet leaders (Lenin, then Stalin), but this did not affect the wealth of the family who lived in an ordinary St. Petersburg communal apartment.
As a boy, Volodya was hooligan and prone to various kinds of leprosy. I went to school at the age of eight, I did not study very well (at least in the elementary grades). But from the age of 11 he became interested in wrestling, sambo and judo. And since childhood, he dreamed of becoming a scout.
First rank - lieutenant
It is not so easy to enter the law faculty of Leningrad University, especially if you have mediocre grades in the school certificate. That was in 1970, and now too. The ill-wishers of the Russian president are hinting at an allegedly existing sporting patronage or, possibly, at that time cooperation with the KGB (so far freelance). This assumption is not confirmed in any way, someone believes such versions, and someone does not. The student really went in for sports (then it was free for everyone) in the Trud society and made progress in this field. However, I did not forget about studying. The military department at the Leningrad State University was, all young people who were fit for service due to their state of health studied at it. In 1975, Vladimir received a diploma along with a military ID, which stated: "Lieutenant of Justice." This was the first military rank of Putin.
Study and next rank
The wishes of a certified lawyer were taken into account in the distribution: he was sent to work in the Leningrad Regional Department of State Security. For the first time, Putin worked in the KGB secretariat as a civilian specialist, without receiving an officer salary. Vladimir Vladimirovich received the specific knowledge needed by the counterintelligence at the semi-annual special courses of the younger operational staff at the Moscow KGB Higher School, where he was sent in February 1976.
The service did not interfere with judo success. Until 1976, Putin repeatedly became the champion of the city.
Only two years later (1977) was his certification and admission to a career position. He became a senior lieutenant of justice (second rank of Putin), an operative officer of the KGB in the Leningrad Region, in this capacity he served until January 1978.
Captain major
Ranks in the KGB were assigned tightly. It was not enough only to serve the due date, the position held, as well as various other circumstances, including marital status and characteristics, mattered. Most committee operatives retired by majors. This military rank of Putin overtook at the age of thirty. Not such a bad indicator.
After participating in the maintenance of law and order at the Moscow Olympics, Vladimir Vladimirovich received the following asterisk on shoulder straps - in 1980 he became captain. The next military rank of Putin - major - was awarded to him in 1983. The circumstances of these important events in the life of each officer are little known to the public. Again, ill-wishers insist that V.V. Putin's career growth was slow, he did not show any special abilities. On the other hand, careerist zeal may have been unusual for the character of the future Russian president, and this just characterizes him positively. In Afghanistan, one could get the next rank much faster. Putin, however, did not seem to be attracted by this prospect. If sent, then probably would have gone, but voluntarily did not.
Germany and the return
German language V.V. Putin studied at the Moscow Institute of the KGB of the USSR. Andropova, along with other "espionage" sciences in 1984-1985. Then there was a business trip to the KGB Dresden residency. There, the major was engaged in ensuring the work of illegal intelligence scouts sent from East Germany to West. Presumably in 1987, according to length of service, he was awarded the next rank. Putin was appointed assistant department head. To someone, such a position will seem insignificant, but not to those who are even a little familiar with the principles of work of Soviet intelligence.
After the reunification of Germany, the Dresden administration was abolished, the lieutenant colonel returned to Leningrad, having worked abroad for more than four years. The next title of Putin was also actually served in time and confirmed by the colonel's post as the head of one of the counterintelligence units. He worked “under the roof”, formally listed as an assistant to the rector of Leningrad State University.
Not even a general ...
So Vladimir Putin remained a colonel. This title was not obtained in bloody battles, although anything happened during the service (especially during the collapse of the socialist system and the unification of Germany). And he has few rewards: ordinary jubilee medals (there are three of them) and one more from the GDR government. Different conclusions can also be drawn from this fact: both about the officer’s failure and even his negligence, and about his personal modesty and unwillingness to serve the regime, which never brought the Soviet people the desired prosperity. Today, it’s not so important what rank Putin has, the successes of his presidency matter. Judging by the ratings, they are very good.