Photos of Vladimir Putin during his younger years can be hard to find. This is because of his obscure background and his work as an agent and later on as a KGB high ranking official. Much of what we know of his earlier life comes mostly from his friends at the time.
Below are some of the photos of Putin as a fresh-faced youth. Even a notorious of public figures has to go through his formative years. But it’s still a bit bizarre to see what Russia’s leader looked like as a young troublemaker.
A class photo of Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad, circa 1960.
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A class photo with Vladimir Putin, (first row, third from right), circa 1964-65.
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Vladimir Putin in 1970.
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Vladimir Putin dances with his classmate, Elena, during a party in St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad, in 1970.
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A young Vladimir Putin during judo training with fellow pupil Vassily Shestakov in St. Petersburg, then known as Leningrad, in 1971.
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A young Vladimir Putin in the 1970s.
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Vladimir Putin with his then-wife Lyudmila and daughter, Masha, in 1985.
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Vladimir Putin with his parents, Maria and Vladimir, just before his departure to Germany, in 1985.
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