As Russia's president, Putin passed into law a flat income tax of 13%, a reduced profits tax, and new land and legal codes. As Prime Minister, Putin oversaw large scale military reform and police reform . His energy policy has affirmed Russia's position as an energy superpower
On 28 July 1983 Putin married Kaliningrad（加 里宁格勒 ）-born Lyudmila Shkrebneva, at that time an undergraduate student of the Spanish branch of the Philology Department of the Leningrad State University and a former Aeroflot flight attendant. They have two daughters.
Some economists say his return to the Kremlin makes it less likely that Russia will carry out muchneeded changes such as pension reforms and reducing Russia's dependency on natural resources. Oil and gas revenues make up half the budget.
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
In 2000, he was elected to be Russian President. In 2004, putin re-elected President. Putin was forced by the constitution to yield the presidency in 2008 after serving a maximum two cutive terms. But surprisingly, Putin also hold the post of the president.
As president from 2000 to 2008, Putin oversaw an economic boom where household incomes improved on the back of a rise in global oil prices, and his tough talking and macho image helped restore Russia's self-confidence on the world stage.
While at university he became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and remained a member until the party was dissolved in December 1991.
scuba: 自携式水中呼吸器，水肺 judo: 柔道 wayward: resistant to guidance or discipline（任性 的，倔强的，不服管教的） protege: 门徒，追随者 on the back of: 紧跟着，在……之外 Alpha dog: 领头羊，大哥，最有资历的人
Putin, described in leaked US diplomatic cables as the "Alpha dog" in the tandem, proposed his younger and more liberal protege replace him as prime minister after the election to lead a young reformist government.
Over 11 years in power, Putin has cultivated the image of a vigorous leader and been filmed riding bare-chested on horseback, scuba diving and showing off his judo skills. His policies -- crushing a Chechen separatist rebellion, taming super-rich businessmen and bringing wayward regions to heel -- have similarly won him popularity among Russians.
Putin taking the presidential oath at his 3rd inauguration ceremony (7 May 2012)
Boyish Putin By fifth grade he was one of a few in a class of more than 45 pupils who was not yet a member of the Pioneers, largely because of his rowdy behavior.