Born 7 October 1952 in Leningrad — now St Petersburg.
Studies law and joins KGB after university
Serves as a spy in communist East Germany — some ex-KGB comrades later get top state posts in Putin era
In the 1990s was top aide to St Petersburg mayor Anatoly Sobchak, who previously taught him law
Enters Boris Yeltsins Kremlin in 1997, who made chief of Federal Security Service (the FSB, the main successor of the KGB), then prime minister
New Year’s Eve, 1999, Yeltsin quits and names him acting president
Easily wins presidential election in March 2000
Wins a second term in 2004
Is barred from running for a third successive term by the Russian constitution, but instead becomes prime minister
Wins a third presidential term in 2012
Is likely to win more than 70 per cent in Sunday’s election for a fourth term
— Mick O’Reilly, Foreign Correspondent, agencies
