Page 8 - Vladimir Putin: Russia's Autocratic Ruler

“If anyone ever in-
KGB as an informer. The Putins took great pride sulted him in any way,
in their nation and its victory over Germany in Volodya [Putin] would
what Russians call the Great Patriotic War. immediately jump on
the guy, scratch him,
A Scrappy Childhood bite him, rip his hair
Putin waged his own personal wars as a child. out by the clump—do
anything at all never to
His classmates remember him as aggressive allow anyone to humili-
and always ready for a fi ght. In the trash-fi lled ate him in any way.” 5
courtyard of his apartment building, where the — A childhood friend of Vladimir
neighborhood kids would gather, he did not Putin’s
hesitate to use his fi sts when challenged. Al-
though slightly built and younger than most of
the street toughs, he never backed down. “If anyone ever insulted
him in any way,” a friend recalls, “Volodya [Putin’s childhood nick-
name] would immediately jump on the guy, scratch him, bite him,
rip his hair out by the clump—do anything at all never to allow
anyone to humiliate him in any way.” 5

At age ten, Vladimir
Putin poses for a school
classroom picture.
Although slightly built, his
classmates remember
him as aggressive and
always ready for a ght.