Vladimir Putin news stories on Newser

Putin Pulls Out of G8 Meeting, Stuns US

Rob Quinn — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:46:00 CDT

Looks like the relationship between President Obama and President Putin might be off to a rocky start. The Russian leader has surprised the White House by saying he won't be attending the G8 summit at Camp David next week, reports the New York Times . Putin was recently elected for a...

Vladimir Putin: Hockey Star

Kevin Spak — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:35:08 CDT

Is there anything Vladimir Putin can't do? Russia's old/new president celebrated his inauguration by lacing up his skates for an amateur hockey team and scoring the winning goal against a team of hockey legends, Russia Today reports. The game was a season-ending exhibition between select members of the Russian Amateur...

Today's Shocker: Medvedev Approved as Russia PM

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:36:07 CDT

Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin completed their long-anticipated job swap today, with Russia’s parliament approving Medvedev as prime minister, as had been expected. Medvedev, who received a 299-144 vote, will serve under Putin, who was inaugurated for his third term as president yesterday and quickly nominated Medvedev as PM.

Russia Inaugurates Vladimir Putin Third Time

Matt Cantor — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:02:51 CDT

Calling for a "single, united" nation, Vladimir Putin has begun his third term as Russia's president—a term set to make him Russia's longest-serving leader since Stalin. Following protests yesterday , Putin was sworn in at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow in a $664,000 ceremony. In a brief speech,...

Russia Busts Opposition Leaders

Sun, 06 May 2012 10:31:16 CDT

Police in Moscow have arrested top opposition figures along with demonstrators after a protest march on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration as president tried to reach the Kremlin. The march by about 20,000 people to an island adjacent to the Kremlin proceeded peacefully this afternoon until a small...

Putin's Wife AWOL as Rumors Swirl

Polly Davis Doig — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:51:38 CDT

Virgins everywhere might have Vladimir Putin's back, but as the Russian strongman prepares to assume the presidency in two weeks, wife Lyudmila has been conspicuously absent from his side—and tongues are wagging furiously. Is she locked away in a monastery, wonders the Daily Mail ? Or shall we believe...

Punk Band Faces 7 Years for Putin Protest

Rob Quinn — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:48:05 CDT

Three members of a feminist punk band are being harshly punished for mocking Vladimir Putin in a protest inside Russia's main Orthodox church. The trio were among five members of Pussy Riot who rushed to the pulpit during a service earlier this year, and chanted: "Mother Mary, drive Putin away....

Obama, Medvedev Caught on Hot Mic

Polly Davis Doig — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:36:05 CDT

Publicly, President Obama and Dmitry Medvedev said today that delicate discussions over a European missile defense were ongoing. Inadvertently publicly, Obama told Medvedev to tell Vladimir Putin to chill and give him until after the election to wrangle a deal, reports the Washington Post . The pair met today in Seoul,...

Obama Ready to Cut Nukes Again

Matt Cantor — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:44:00 CDT

President Obama still thinks we could stand to get rid of a bunch of our nukes, and has promised a renewed effort to cut American and Russian nuclear arsenals following 2010's START treaty . "We can already say with confidence that we have more nuclear weapons than we need," the president...