Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

== Domestic policies ==
{{Main|Domestic policy of Vladimir Putin}}
{{See also|Freedom of assembly in Russia|Media freedom in Russia|Internet censorship in Russia}}
{{Further|2011–2013 Russian protests|2017–2018 Russian protests|Bolotnaya Square case}}

Putin's domestic policies, particularly early in his first presidency, were aimed at creating a vertical [[power structure]]. On 13 May 2000, he issued a decree organizing the 89 [[federal subjects of Russia]] into seven administrative [[Federal districts of Russia|federal districts]] and appointed a presidential envoy responsible for each of those districts (whose official title is Plenipotentiary Representative).<ref>{{cite book |author1=World Freedom Foundation |title=Vladimir Putin – Direct Speech Without Cuts |date=2015 |isbn=978-1-329-39092-8 |page=44 |publisher=Lulu.com |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AjAyCgAAQBAJ}}</ref>

[[File:Map of Russian districts, 2016-07-28.svg|thumb|In May 2000, Putin introduced seven [[Federal districts of Russia|federal districts]] for administrative purposes. In January 2010, the 8th [[North Caucasus Federal District]] (shown here in purple) was split from the [[Southern Federal District]]. In March 2014, the new 9th [[Crimean Federal District]] was formed after the [[annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation]]. In July 2016, it was incorporated into the Southern Federal District.]]

According to [[Stephen K. White|Stephen White]], under the presidency of Putin, Russia made it clear that it had no intention of establishing a "second edition" of the American or British political system, but rather a system that was closer to Russia's own traditions and circumstances.<ref>{{cite book |last1=White |first1=Stephen |editor1-first=Stephen |editor1-last=White |title=Developments in Russian Politics 7 |year=2010 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=978-0-230-22449-0 |chapter=Classifying Russia's Politics}}</ref> Some commentators have described Putin's administration as a "[[sovereign democracy]]".<ref>{{harv|Sakwa|2008|pp= 42–43}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Okara |first1=Andrei |title=Sovereign Democracy: A New Russian Idea Or a PR Project? |journal=Russia in Global Affairs |date=July–September 2007 |volume=5 |issue=3 |url=http://kms2.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/RESSpecNet/39702/ichaptersection_singledocument/576378B1-E97E-4EC1-9894-FB6F430EA76E/en/02+Sover+Democracy.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410080227/http://kms2.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/RESSpecNet/39702/ichaptersection_singledocument/576378B1-E97E-4EC1-9894-FB6F430EA76E/en/02+Sover+Democracy.pdf |archive-date=10 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last1 = Petrov |first1 = Nikolai |title = From Managed Democracy to Sovereign Democracy |date = December 2005 |url = https://www.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0396.pdf |publisher = Center for Political-Geographic Research |access-date = 28 March 2016 |archive-date = 11 October 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171011165345/https://www2.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0396.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> According to the proponents of that description (primarily [[Vladislav Surkov]]), the government's actions and policies ought above all to enjoy popular support within Russia itself and not be directed or influenced from outside the country.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.edinros.ru/news.html?id=111148 |title = Sovereignty is a Political Synonym of Competitiveness |last = Surkov |first = Vladislav |date = 7 February 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080212215743/http://www.edinros.ru/news.html?id=111148 |archive-date = 12 February 2008 |url-status = dead |access-date = 18 August 2016 }}</ref>

The practice of the system is characterized by Swedish economist [[Anders Åslund]] as manual management, commenting: "After Putin resumed the presidency in 2012, his rule is best described as 'manual management' as the Russians like to put it. Putin does whatever he wants, with little consideration to the consequences with one important caveat. During the Russian financial crash of August 1998, Putin learned that financial crises are politically destabilizing and must be avoided at all costs. Therefore, he cares about financial stability"<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/the-illusions-of-putin-s-russia |title = The Illusions of Putin's Russia |last = Åslund |first = Anders |website = Atlantic Council |date = 6 May 2019 |access-date = 16 June 2019 }}</ref>

The period after 2012 saw mass protests against the falsification of elections, censorship and toughening of free assembly laws. In July 2000, according to a law proposed by Putin and approved by the [[Federal Assembly of Russia]], Putin gained the right to dismiss the heads of the 89 federal subjects. In 2004, the direct election of those [[List of current heads of federal subjects of Russia|heads (usually called "governors")]] by popular vote was replaced with a system whereby they would be nominated by the president and approved or disapproved by regional legislatures.<ref>Lynch, Dov (2005). [https://www.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2346.2005.00442.x "The enemy is at the gate": Russia after Beslan]. ''[[International Affairs (journal)|International Affairs]]'' 81 (1), 141–161.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3650966.stm Putin tightens grip on security], ''[[BBC News]]'', 13 September 2004.</ref>

This was seen by Putin as a necessary move to stop separatist tendencies and get rid of those governors who were connected with organised crime.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://radiovesti.ru/articles/2011-12-15/fm/24575 |title = Президентское фильтрование губернаторов оценили политики |publisher = Radiovesti.ru |access-date = 7 May 2012 |archive-date = 24 February 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130224031439/http://radiovesti.ru/articles/2011-12-15/fm/24575 |url-status = dead }}</ref> This and other government actions effected under Putin's presidency have been criticized by many independent Russian media outlets and Western commentators as anti-democratic.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Kramer |first = Andrew E. |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/world/europe/22russia.html?pagewanted=print |title = 50% Good News Is the Bad News in Russian Radio |location = Russia |work = The New York Times |date = 22 April 2007 |access-date = 24 September 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author1 = Masha Lipman |author2 = Anders Aslund |url = http://www.carnegieendowment.org/events/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail&id=745 |title = Russian Media Criticism of Vladimir Putin: Evidence and Significance |newspaper = [[Carnegie Endowment for International Peace]] |date = 2 December 2004 |access-date = 2 March 2010 }}</ref>

During his first term in office, Putin opposed some of the Yeltsin-era [[business oligarch]]s, as well as his political opponents, resulting in the exile or imprisonment of such people as [[Boris Berezovsky (businessman)|Boris Berezovsky]], [[Vladimir Gusinsky]], and [[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]]; other oligarchs such as [[Roman Abramovich]] and [[Arkady Rotenberg]] are friends and allies with Putin.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.forbes.com/profile/arkady-rotenberg/ |title = Arkady Rotenberg |work = Forbes |year = 2013 |access-date = 23 December 2013 }}</ref> Putin succeeded in codifying land law and tax law and promulgated new codes on labour, administrative, criminal, commercial and civil procedural law.<ref name="sharlet">{{cite book |last=Sharlet |first=Robert |title=Developments in Russian Politics |editor=White |editor2=Gitelman |editor3=Sakwa |publisher=Duke University Press |year=2005 |volume=6 |chapter=In Search of the Rule of Law |isbn=978-0-8223-3522-1}}</ref> Under Medvedev's presidency, Putin's government implemented some key reforms in the area of state security, the [[Russian police reform]] and the [[Russian military reform]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Main, John. |title=Russia country study guide : army and national. |date=2009 |publisher=Intl Business Pubns Usa |isbn=978-1-4387-4042-3 |location=[Place of publication not identified] |oclc=946230798}}</ref>

In 1999, Putin described [[communism]] as "a blind alley, far away from the mainstream of civilization".<ref name="NYorker eclipse">{{Cite magazine |last=Remick |first=David |author-link=David Remnick |title=Watching the Eclipse |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/watching-eclipse |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=3 August 2014 |issue=11 |access-date=3 August 2014 |archive-date=5 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105191353/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/watching-eclipse |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Economic, industrial, and energy policies ===
{{See also|Economy of Russia|Energy policy of Russia|Great Recession in Russia|Russian financial crisis (2014–2016)|Economic impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
[[File:GDP of Russia since 1989.svg|thumb|Russian GDP since the end of the [[Soviet Union]]]]

[[Sergey Guriyev]], when talking about Putin's economic policy, divided it into four distinct periods: the "reform" years of his first term (1999–2003); the "statist" years of his second term (2004—the first half of 2008); the world economic crisis and recovery (the second half of 2008–2013); and the Russo-Ukrainian War, Russia's growing isolation from the global economy, and stagnation (2014–present).<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last = Guriyev |first = Sergey |author-link = Sergei Guriev |date = 16 August 2019 |title = 20 Years of Vladimir Putin: The Transformation of the Economy |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/08/16/20-years-of-vladimir-putin-the-transformation-of-the-economy-a66854 |access-date = 15 October 2020 |website = [[Moscow Times]] }}</ref>

In 2000, Putin launched the "Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the Period 2000–2010", but it was abandoned in 2008 when it was 30% complete.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last1 = Aris |first1 = Ben |last2 = Tkachev |first2 = Ivan |date = 19 August 2019 |title = Long Read: 20 Years of Russia's Economy Under Putin, in Numbers |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/08/19/long-read-russias-economy-under-putin-in-numbers-a66924 |access-date = 15 October 2020 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> Fueled by the [[2000s commodities boom]] including [[World oil market chronology from 2003|record-high oil prices]],<ref name="Putin 2007">''Putin: Russia's Choice'', (Routledge 2007), by [[Richard Sakwa]], Chapter 9.</ref><ref name="Fragile Empire 2013 page 17">Judah, Ben, ''Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin'', [[Yale University Press]], 2013, p. 17</ref> under the Putin administration from 2000 to 2016, an increase in income in USD terms was 4.5 times.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last = Becker |first = Torbjörn |title = The Russian Economy Under Putin (So Far) |url = https://freepolicybriefs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/freepolicybrief_mar15.pdf |date = 15 March 2018 |access-date = 16 October 2020 |website = freepolicybriefs.org |publisher = Free Network |page = 3 }}</ref> During Putin's first eight years in office, industry grew substantially, as did production, construction, real incomes, credit, and the middle class.<ref name="russiaprofile">{{#invoke:cite|web|first1 = Katya |last1 = Malofeeva |first2 = Tim |last2 = Brenton |url = http://russiaprofile.org/politics/a1187177738.html |title = Putin's Economy – Eight Years On |publisher = Russia Profile |date = 15 August 2007 |access-date = 23 April 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141018214852/http://russiaprofile.org/politics/a1187177738.html |archive-date = 18 October 2014 }}</ref><ref name="challenges_of_medv_era">Iikka. Korhonen ''et al.'' [http://www.suomenpankki.fi/en/suomen_pankki/organisaatio/asiantuntijoita/Documents/bon0608.pdf The challenges of the Medvedev era] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320025511/http://www.suomenpankki.fi/en/suomen_pankki/organisaatio/asiantuntijoita/Documents/bon0608.pdf |date=20 March 2012}}. Bank of Finland's Institute for Economies in Transition, 24 June 2008.</ref> [[Stabilization Fund of the Russian Federation|A fund for oil revenue]] allowed Russia to repay Soviet Union's debts by 2005. Russia joined the [[World Trade Organization]] in August 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url=https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/a1_russie_e.htm|title=WTO {{!}} Accessions: Russian Federation|website=wto.org|access-date=14 March 2019}}</ref>

In 2006, Putin launched an industry consolidation programme to bring the main aircraft-producing companies under a single umbrella organization, the [[United Aircraft Corporation]] (UAC).<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 21 February 2006 |title = Владимир Путин учредил открытое акционерное общество "Объединенная авиастроительная корпорация" |trans-title = Vladimir Putin established the United Aircraft Corporation, an open joint stock company |url = http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/35095 |access-date = 16 October 2020 |website = Президент России |language = ru }}</ref><ref name="ato1">{{cite journal |url=http://www.ato.ru/content/state-sponsored-consolidation |title=State-sponsored consolidation |last1=Zvereva |first1=Polina |journal=Russia & CIS Observer |issue=26 |volume=3 |date=11 October 2009}}</ref> In September 2020, the UAC general director announced that the UAC will receive the largest-ever post-Soviet government support package for the aircraft industry in order to pay and renegotiate the debt.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title=UAC to receive largest post Soviet govt support package {{!}} CAPA|url=https://centreforaviation.com/news/uac-to-receive-largest-post-soviet-govt-support-package-1027593|access-date=16 October 2020|website=centreforaviation.com}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 1 September 2020 |title = Объединенная авиастроительная корпорация задолжала банкам полтриллиона рублей |trans-title = United Aircraft Corporation owes banks half a trillion rubles |url = https://www.vesti.ru/finance/article/2451850 |access-date = 16 October 2020 |website = vesti.ru |language = ru }}</ref>
[[File:Russia and China sign major gas deal.jpeg|thumb|Putin, [[Gazprom]] CEO [[Alexey Miller]] and Chinese president [[Xi Jinping]]. The Russian economy is heavily dependent on the [[Energy policy of Russia|export of natural resources]] such as oil and natural gas<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title=Western sanctions push Russia's energy revenues to lowest since 2020 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/western-sanctions-push-russias-energy-revenues-lowest-level-since-2020-2023-02-03/ |work=Reuters |date=3 February 2023}}</ref> ]]
In 2014, Putin signed a deal to supply China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. [[Power of Siberia]], which Putin has called the "world's biggest construction project", was launched in 2019 and is expected to continue for 30 years at an ultimate cost to China of $400bn.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 2 December 2019 |title = Russia, China launch gas pipeline 'Power of Siberia' |url = https://www.dw.com/en/russia-china-launch-gas-pipeline-power-of-siberia/a-51500187 |access-date = 8 November 2020 |publisher = [[Deutsche Welle]] }}</ref> The [[Russian financial crisis (2014–present)|ongoing financial crisis]] began in the second half of 2014 when the Russian ruble collapsed due to a decline in the price of oil and [[International sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis|international sanctions against Russia]]. These events in turn led to loss of investor confidence and capital flight, although it has also been argued that the sanctions had little to no effect on Russia's economy.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 24 March 2017 |title = Sanctions boost Russian economic resilience |publisher = Deutsche Welle |url = http://www.dw.com/en/sanctions-boost-russian-economic-resilience/av-38101070 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170331122109/http://www.dw.com/en/sanctions-boost-russian-economic-resilience/av-38101070 |archive-date = 31 March 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = How the Sanctions Are Helping Putin |work= Politico|first=Andrey|last=Movchan|date=28 March 2017|access-date=5 August 2023 |url = http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/how-the-sanctions-are-helping-putin-214963 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last1 = Kitroeff |first1 = Natalie Natalie |last2 = Weisenthal |first2 = Joe |date = 16 December 2014 |title = Here's Why the Russian Ruble Is Collapsing |publisher = Bloomberg L.P. |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-12-16/no-caviar-is-not-getting-cheaper-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-russian-ruble-collapse }}</ref> In 2014, the [[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project]] named Putin their Person of the Year for furthering corruption and organized crime.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://occrp.org/person-of-the-year/2014/ |title = OCCRP 2014 Person of the Year |access-date = 31 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/vladimir-putin-named-person-year-innovation-organised-crime-1481739 |title = Vladimir Putin named Person of the Year for 'innovation' in 'organised crime' |work = International Business Times |date = 3 January 2015 }}</ref>

According to ''[[Meduza]]'', Putin has since 2007 predicted on a number of occasions that Russia will become one of the world's five largest economies. In 2013, he said Russia was one of the five biggest economies in terms of gross domestic product but still lagged behind other countries on indicators such as labour productivity.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://meduza.io/en/short/2018/05/08/when-will-russia-become-the-world-s-fifth-biggest-economy-don-t-ask-vladimir-putin |title = When will Russia become the world's fifth biggest economy? Don't ask Vladimir Putin. |work = Meduza |access-date = 9 May 2018 }}</ref> By the end of 2023, Putin planned to spend almost 40% of [[Federal budget of Russia|public expenditures]] on defense and security.<ref>{{cite news |title=Putin approves big military spending hikes for Russia's budget |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-approves-big-military-spending-hikes-russias-budget-2023-11-27/ |work=Reuters |date=27 November 2023}}</ref>

=== Environmental policy ===
{{Main|Environment of Russia|Environmental issues in Russia|Climate change in Russia}}
In 2004, Putin signed the [[Kyoto Protocol]] treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Putin Ratifies Kyoto Protocol on Emissions |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/06/world/europe/putin-ratifies-kyoto-protocol-on-emissions.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = 6 November 2004 |page = A1 |access-date = 16 October 2022 }}</ref> However, Russia did not face mandatory cuts, because the Kyoto Protocol limits emissions to a percentage increase or decrease from 1990 levels and Russia's greenhouse-gas emissions fell well below the 1990 baseline due to a drop in economic output after the breakup of the Soviet Union,<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.cfr.org/publication/13640/g8s_gradual_move_toward_postkyoto_climate_change_policy.html |title = G8's Gradual Move toward Post-Kyoto Climate Change Policy |author = Tony Johnson |publisher = Council on Foreign Relations |access-date = 2 March 2010 |archive-date = 29 December 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091229130613/http://www.cfr.org/publication/13640/g8s_gradual_move_toward_postkyoto_climate_change_policy.html |url-status = dead }}</ref> excluding emissions from [[Land use, land-use change, and forestry|land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF)]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report on the technical review of the fourth biennial report of the Russian Federation |url=https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/trr4_RUS.pdf}}</ref>

In 2019 Russia joined the [[Paris Agreement]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 September 2019 |title=Russia gives definitive approval to Paris climate accord |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-russia-idUSKBN1W8162 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> Russia's goal is to reach [[net zero]] by 2060, but [[Energy policy of Russia|its energy strategy]] to 2035 is mostly about burning more [[fossil fuels]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nationally determined contribution of the Russian Federation |url=https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Russia%20First/NDC_RF_eng.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=18 March 2022 |title=Does Russia have a climate plan to reduce carbon emissions? |url=https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/03/18/russia-says-sanctions-will-stop-it-cutting-carbon-emissions-but-does-it-have-a-climate-pla |access-date=26 March 2022 |website=euronews |language=en}}</ref> Reporting military emissions is voluntary and, as of 2024, no data is available since before the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|2022 invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Military Emissions Gap – Tracking the long war that militaries are waging on the climate |url=https://militaryemissions.org/ |access-date=14 September 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Putin described [[climate change]] as a concerning fact with big consequences for Russia. He is not sure if it man made or not, but said that Russia is trying and will try to reduce man made emissions with forests and "low-emission energy", by this term he intends [[Natural gas]], [[Nuclear power|Nuclear energy]] and [[Hydroenergy in Russia]]. He said that rich countries should provide finance and technology to those with less money for lower emissions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Valdai Discussion Club meeting |url=http://www.en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/75521 |website=Presidential Executive Office 2024 |date=7 November 2024 |access-date=15 December 2024}}</ref> Some describe his policy as "mimicry of climate policy" and say he turned environmentalism into tool of political influence.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lanshina |first1=Tatiana |title=Climate control: How Russia turned environmentalism into a tool of political influence |url=https://theins.ru/en/economics/276652 |website=The Insider |access-date=15 December 2024}}</ref>

=== Religious policy ===
{{Main|Religion in Russia}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin 21 February 2001-2.jpg|thumb|Putin with religious leaders of Russia, February 2001]]
Putin regularly attends the most important services of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] on the main holy days and has established a good relationship with [[Patriarchs of Moscow|Patriarchs]] of the Russian Church, the late [[Alexy II of Moscow]] and the current [[Kirill of Moscow]]. As president, Putin took an active personal part in promoting the [[Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate]], signed 17 May 2007, which restored relations between the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church and the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] after the 80-year schism.<ref>{{cite press release |title=The President of Russia attended the ceremonial signing of the Act on Canonical Communion that was held in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour |publisher=[[Embassy of Russia in Ottawa]] |date=17 May 2007 |url=http://www.rusembcanada.mid.ru/pr2007/022.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211074427/http://www.rusembcanada.mid.ru/pr2007/022.html |archive-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 October 2008}}</ref>

Under Putin, the [[Hasidic]] [[Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia]] became increasingly influential within the Jewish community, partly due to the influence of Federation-supporting businessmen mediated through their alliances with Putin, notably [[Lev Avnerovich Leviev|Lev Leviev]] and [[Roman Abramovich]].<ref name="Russia">''No love lost'', Yossi Mehlman, ''Haaretz'', 11 December 2005.</ref><ref>Phyllis Berman Lea Goldman, (15 September 2003). [https://web.archive.org/web/20030905120347/http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2003/0915/108_print.html "Cracked De Beers"]. ''Forbes''.</ref> According to the [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]], Putin is popular amongst the [[Russian Jewish]] community, who see him as a force for stability. Russia's [[Chief Rabbi of Russia|chief rabbi]], [[Berel Lazar]], said Putin "paid great attention to the needs of our community and related to us with a deep respect".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last = Krichevsky |first = Lev |url = http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=241225 |title = "In Putin's return, Russian Jews see stability". Jewish Telegraphic Agency |website = The Jerusalem Post |date = 10 October 2011 |access-date = 22 June 2013 }}</ref> In 2016, [[Ronald S. Lauder]], the president of the [[World Jewish Congress]], also praised Putin for making Russia "a country where Jews are welcome".<ref name="wjcrussiafight">{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Ronald S. Lauder: Russia's fight against anti-Semitism isn't just good for Jews – it's good for Russia as well |url = http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/ronald-s-lauder-russias-fight-against-anti-semitism-isnt-just-good-for-jews--its-good-for-russia-as-well-11-2-2016 |website = World Jewish Congress |access-date = 1 November 2016 |date = 1 November 2016 }}</ref>

Human rights organizations and religious freedom advocates have criticized the state of religious freedom in Russia.<ref name="WaPost-2016">{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Missionaries are struggling to work under new Russia law banning proselytizing |newspaper = The Washington Post |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/09/20/missionaries-struggle-to-work-in-russia-under-new-law-that-bans-proselytizing/ |year = 2016 }}</ref> In 2016, Putin oversaw the passage of legislation that prohibited missionary activity in Russia.<ref name="WaPost-2016" /> Nonviolent religious minority groups have been repressed under anti-extremism laws, especially [[Jehovah's Witnesses]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Russia's mysterious campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses |url = https://abcnews.go.com/International/russias-mysterious-campaign-jehovahs-witnesses/story?id=78629389 |access-date = 4 March 2022 |publisher = ABC News }}</ref> One of the [[2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia]] has a [[Constitutional references to God|constitutional reference to God]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Constitution of the Russia Federation |url = https://rm.coe.int/constitution-of-the-russian-federation-en/1680a1a237 |date = 4 February 2021 |work = [[Council of Europe]] |access-date = 5 March 2022 }}</ref>

=== Military development ===
{{Main|2008 Russian military reform}}
[[File:Vostok-2018 military manoeuvres (2018-09-13) 23.jpg|thumb|Putin with Russia's long-serving Defense Minister [[Sergei Shoygu]] (left) and Chief of the General Staff [[Valery Gerasimov]] at the [[Vostok 2018|Vostok 2018 military exercise]]]]
The resumption of long-distance flights of Russia's [[strategic bomber]]s was followed by the announcement by Russian defense minister [[Anatoliy Serdyukov]] during his meeting with Putin on 5 December 2007, that 11 ships, including the aircraft carrier ''[[Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov|Kuznetsov]]'', would take part in the first major navy sortie into the Mediterranean since Soviet times.<ref>Guy Faulconbridge [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-navy-idUSL0518563620071205 Russian navy to start sorties in Mediterranean]. Reuters. 5 December 2007.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://president.kremlin.ru/appears/2007/12/05/1940_type63378_153373.shtml |script-title = ru:Начало встречи с Министром обороны Анатолием Сердюковым |trans-title = Start of the meeting with Defence Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov |language = ru |publisher = Kremlin.ru |date = 5 December 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080608051601/http://president.kremlin.ru/appears/2007/12/05/1940_type63378_153373.shtml |archive-date = 8 June 2008 }}</ref>

Key elements of the reform included reducing the armed forces to a strength of one million, reducing the number of officers, centralising officer training from 65 military schools into 10 systemic military training centres, creating a professional [[Non-commissioned officer|NCO]] corps, reducing the size of the central command, introducing more civilian logistics and auxiliary staff, elimination of cadre-strength formations, reorganising the reserves, reorganising the army into a brigade system, and reorganising air forces into an airbase system instead of regiments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rieas.gr/research-areas/global-issues/russian-studies/104.html |title=Reforming The Russian Military: Problems And Prospects<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=12 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504155608/http://www.rieas.gr/research-areas/global-issues/russian-studies/104.html |archive-date=4 May 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:№ 3009 А.И. Старчков.jpg|thumb|Russian postage stamp honoring a soldier killed in the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]].]]
According to the Kremlin, Putin embarked on a build-up of [[Russia and weapons of mass destruction#Nuclear weapons|Russia's nuclear capabilities]] because of U.S. president [[George W. Bush]]'s unilateral decision to withdraw from the 1972 [[Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Majumdar |first = Dave |date = 1 March 2018 |title = Russia's Nuclear Weapons Buildup Is Aimed at Beating U.S. Missile Defenses |url = https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russias-nuclear-weapons-buildup-aimed-beating-us-missile-24716 |work = The National Interest |location = US |access-date = 26 October 2018 }}</ref> To counter what Putin sees as the United States' goal of undermining Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent, Moscow has embarked on a program to develop new weapons capable of defeating any new American ballistic missile defense or interception system. Some analysts believe that this nuclear strategy under Putin has brought Russia into violation of the 1987 [[Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty]].<ref name="Hurlbert-2018">{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Hurlbert |first = Heather |date = 26 October 2018 |title = Russia Violated an Arms Treaty. Trump Ditched It, Making the Nuclear Threat Even Worse. |url = https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russias-nuclear-weapons-buildup-aimed-beating-us-missile-24716 |work = New York |location = US |access-date = 26 October 2018 }}</ref>

Accordingly, U.S. president [[Donald Trump]] announced the U.S. would no longer consider itself bound by the treaty's provisions, raising nuclear tensions between the two powers.<ref name="Hurlbert-2018"/> This prompted Putin to state that Russia would not launch first in a nuclear conflict but that "an aggressor should know that vengeance is inevitable, that he will be annihilated, and we would be the victims of the aggression. We will go to heaven as martyrs".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date = 19 October 2018 |title = Aggressors Will Be Annihilated, We Will Go to Heaven as Martyrs, Putin Says |url = https://themoscowtimes.com/news/aggressors-will-be-annihilated-we-will-go-to-heaven-as-martyrs-putin-says-63235 |work = [[Moscow Times]] |location = Russia |access-date = 26 October 2018 }}</ref>

Putin has also sought to increase Russian territorial claims in the Arctic and its military presence there. In August 2007, Russian expedition [[Arktika 2007]], part of research related to the [[Continental shelf of Russia#2001 extension claim|2001 Russian territorial extension claim]], planted a flag on the seabed at the North Pole.<ref name="pole_flag">{{#invoke:cite|news|author = William J. Broad |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/world/europe/19arctic.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1311810481-IXSrMDBjzhfGopGmYcf6tw |title = Russia's Claim Under Polar Ice Irks American |work = The New York Times |date = 19 February 2008 |access-date = 27 July 2011 }}</ref> Both Russian submarines and troops deployed in the Arctic have been increasing.<ref name="Military_buildup1">{{#invoke:cite|news|author = Adrian Blomfield |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2111507/Russia-plans-Arctic-military-build-up.html |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2111507/Russia-plans-Arctic-military-build-up.html |archive-date = 10 January 2022 |url-access = subscription |url-status = live |title = Russia plans Arctic military build-up |work = The Daily Telegraph |date = 11 June 2008 |access-date = 27 July 2011 |location = London }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Military_buildup2">{{#invoke:cite|news|author = Mia Bennett |url = http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2011/07/04/russia-arctic-states-solidifying-northern-military-presence/ |title = Russia, Like Other Arctic States, Solidifies Northern Military Presence |newspaper = Foreign Policy Blogs |publisher = Foreign Policy Association |date = 4 July 2011 |access-date = 27 July 2011 }}</ref>

=== Human rights policy ===
{{Main|Human rights in Russia}}
{{See also|Dima Yakovlev Law|Russian foreign agent law|Russian Internet Restriction Bill}}
[[File:Sun in the flags of protesters (50096710531).jpg|thumb|[[Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia|Russian opposition]] politician [[Alexei Navalny]] attends a march in memory of [[assassination of Boris Nemtsov|assassinated]] opposition politician [[Boris Nemtsov]], Moscow, 29 February 2020]]
New York City-based NGO [[Human Rights Watch]], in a report titled ''Laws of Attrition'', authored by Hugh Williamson, the British director of HRW's Europe & Central Asia Division, has claimed that since May 2012, when Putin was reelected as president, Russia has enacted many restrictive laws, started inspections of non-governmental organizations, harassed, intimidated and imprisoned political activists, and started to restrict critics. The new laws include the "foreign agents" law, which is widely regarded as over-broad by including Russian human rights organizations which receive some international grant funding, the treason law, and the assembly law which penalizes many expressions of dissent.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/node/115059 "Laws of Attrition: Crackdown on Russia's Civil Society after Putin's Return to the Presidency,"] Human Rights Watch pdf report, 24 April 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/24/russia-worst-human-rights-climate-post-soviet-era Russia: Worst Human Rights Climate in Post-Soviet Era, Unprecedented Crackdown on Civil Society] Human Rights Watch Summary, 24 April 2013.</ref> Human rights activists have criticized Russia for censoring speech of LGBT activists due to [[Russian gay propaganda law|"the gay propaganda law"]]<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/04/kyrgyzstan-lgbt-community-fear-attacks-russia |title = 'We'll cut off your head': open season for LGBT attacks in Kyrgyzstan |last = North |first = Andrew |date = 4 May 2016 |work =[[The Guardian]] |access-date = 21 June 2017 |issn = 0261-3077 }}</ref> and increasing violence against LGBT+ people due to the law.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/01/russia-rise-homophobic-violence |title = Russian anti-gay law prompts rise in homophobic violence |last = Luhn |first = Alec |date = 1 September 2013 |work =[[The Guardian]] |access-date = 21 June 2017 |issn = 0261-3077 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/10/09/russian_lgbt_activists_on_the_effects_of_gay_propaganda_law.html |title = The Chilling Effects of Russia's Anti-Gay Law, One Year Later |last = Keating |first = Joshua |date = 9 October 2014 |work = Slate |access-date = 21 June 2017 |issn = 1091-2339 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russias-lgbt-youth-victimized-by-gay-propaganda-law-49524 |title = Russia's LGBT Youth Victimized by 'Gay Propaganda' Law|work=The Moscow Times|access-date = 21 June 2017 }}</ref>

In 2020, Putin signed a law on labelling individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents". The law is an expansion of "foreign agent" legislation adopted in 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 30 December 2020 |title = Putin Signs Controversial 'Foreign Agent' Law Expansion |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/12/30/putin-signs-controversial-foreign-agent-law-expansion-a72524 |website = [[Moscow Times]] }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last = Odynova |first = Alexandra |date = 31 December 2020 |title = Putin ends 2020 by tightening the legal noose on press and individual freedoms |url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-vladimir-putin-ends-2020-laws-foreign-agents-limits-press-individual-freedoms/ |publisher = [[CBS News]] }}</ref>

As of June 2020, per Memorial Human Rights Center, there were 380 political prisoners in Russia, including 63 individuals prosecuted, directly or indirectly, for political activities (including Alexey Navalny) and 245 prosecuted for their involvement with one of the Muslim organizations that are banned in Russia. 78 individuals on the list, i.e., more than 20% of the total, are residents of Crimea.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 4 October 2017 |title = Списки преследуемых|trans-title=Lists of persecuted|url = https://memohrc.org/ru/content/spiski-presleduemyh |access-date = 11 October 2021 |website = Правозащитный центр «Мемориал» }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last1 = Council |first1 = Russian-speaking Community |date = 14 June 2021 |title = Russia's Political Prisoners Directory |url = https://amrusrights.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/russias-political-prisoners-directory/ |access-date = 11 October 2021 |website = American Russian-Speaking Association for Civil & Human Rights }}</ref> As of December 2022, more than 4,000 people were prosecuted for criticizing the war in Ukraine under Russia's [[Russian 2022 war censorship laws|war censorship laws]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last1=Weir |first1=Fred |title=In Russia, critiquing the Ukraine war could land you in prison |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2022/1205/In-Russia-critiquing-the-Ukraine-war-could-land-you-in-prison |work=CSMonitor.com |date=5 December 2022}}</ref>

=== The media ===
{{See also|Mass media in Russia|Media freedom in Russia|Propaganda in Russia}}
[[File:Interview with Vladimir Putin to Tucker Carlson (2024-02-06) 04.jpg|thumb|Putin [[Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin|being interviewed]] by [[Tucker Carlson]] on 6 February 2024]]
Scott Gehlbach, a professor of Political Science at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]], has claimed that since 1999, Putin has systematically punished journalists who challenge his official point of view.<ref>Scott Gehlbach, "Reflections on Putin and the Media". ''Post-Soviet Affairs'' 26#1 (2010): 77–87.</ref> [[Maria Lipman]], an American writing in ''[[Foreign Affairs]]'' claims, "The crackdown that followed Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012 extended to the liberal media, which had until then been allowed to operate fairly independently".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author-link = Maria Lipman |title = How Putin Silences Dissent: Inside the Kremlin's Crackdown |work = Foreign Affairs |volume = 95#1 |year = 2016 |page = 38 }}</ref> The Internet has attracted Putin's attention because his critics have tried to use it to challenge his control of information.<ref>Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, ''The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia's Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries'' (2015).</ref> Marian K. Leighton, who worked for the [[CIA]] as a Soviet analyst in the 1980s says, "Having muzzled Russia's print and broadcast media, Putin focused his energies on the Internet".<ref>Marian K. Leighton, "Muzzling the Russian Media Again." (2016): 820–826.</ref>

Robert W. Orttung and Christopher Walker reported that "[[Reporters Without Borders]], for instance, ranked Russia 148 in its 2013 list of 179 countries in terms of freedom of the press. It particularly criticized Russia for the crackdown on the political opposition and the failure of the authorities to vigorously pursue and bring to justice criminals who have murdered journalists. [[Freedom House]] ranks Russian media as "not free", indicating that basic safeguards and guarantees for journalists and media enterprises are absent.<ref>Robert W. Orttung and Christopher Walker, "Putin and Russia's crippled media". ''Russian Analytical Digest'' 21.123 (2013): 2–6 [http://mercury.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/160446/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/121e51db-ebb0-430c-86f8-884fe87a38e8/en/Russian_Analytical_Digest_123.pdf online] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916100337/http://mercury.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/160446/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/121e51db-ebb0-430c-86f8-884fe87a38e8/en/Russian_Analytical_Digest_123.pdf |date=16 September 2016}}</ref> About two-thirds of Russians use television as their primary source of daily news,<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last1=Goncharenko |first1=Roman |title=Russia's TV war against Ukraine |url=https://www.dw.com/en/how-russian-media-outlets-are-preparing-an-attack-on-ukraine/a-60801837 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=16 February 2022}}</ref> while around 85% of Russians get most of their information from Russian state media.<ref name="Time-Stengel">{{cite magazine |last1=Stengel |first1=Richard |date=20 May 2022 |title=Putin May Be Winning the Information War Outside of the U.S. and Europe |url=https://time.com/6179221/putin-information-war-column/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, Putin and his circle began promoting the idea in Russian media that they are the modern-day version of the 17th-century [[House of Romanov|Romanov]] tsars who ended Russia's "[[Time of Troubles]]", meaning they claim to be the peacemakers and stabilizers after the fall of the Soviet Union.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Levin |first=Eve |date=Fall 2011 |title=Muscovy and Its Mythologies |journal=Kritika: Explorations in Russian & Eurasian History |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=773–788 |doi=10.1353/kri.2011.0058 |s2cid=159746900 |issn=1531-023X}}</ref> Since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, Putin has [[Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin|only once]] granted an interview to a Western journalist, namely [[Tucker Carlson]] in February 2024.<ref name="NYTimesInfo">{{Cite web |last1=Troianovski |first1=Anton |author-link1=Anton Troianovski |last2=Rutenberg |first2=Jim |author-link2=Jim Rutenberg |last3=Sonne |first3=Paul |date=6 February 2024 |title=Tucker Carlson Says His Putin Interview Will Be Shown on Thursday |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/world/europe/tucker-carlson-putin-interview.html |access-date=8 February 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

=== Promoting conservatism ===
{{Conservatism in Russia}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin in Pokrova Church (Turginovo) 03.jpg|thumb|Putin attends the [[Christmas in Russia|Orthodox Christmas]] service in the village Turginovo in [[Kalininsky District, Tver Oblast|Kalininsky District]], Tver Oblast, 7 January 2016.]]
Putin has promoted explicitly conservative policies in social, cultural, and political matters, both at home and abroad. Putin has attacked [[globalism]] and [[neoliberalism]] and is identified by scholars with [[Russian conservatism]].<ref name="conservatism">Sergei Prozorov, "Russian conservatism in the Putin presidency: The dispersion of a hegemonic discourse." ''Journal of Political Ideologies'' 10#2 (2005): 121–143.</ref> Putin has promoted new think tanks that bring together like-minded intellectuals and writers. For example, the Izborsky Club, founded in 2012 by the conservative right-wing journalist [[Alexander Prokhanov]], stresses (i) Russian nationalism, (ii) the restoration of Russia's historical greatness, and (iii) systematic opposition to liberal ideas and policies.<ref>Marlene Laruelle, "The Izborsky Club, or the New Conservative Avant‐Garde in Russia." ''Russian Review'' 75#4 (2016): 626–644.</ref> [[Vladislav Surkov]], a senior government official, has been one of the key economics consultants during Putin's presidency.<ref>Sirke Mäkinen, "Surkovian narrative on the future of Russia: making Russia a world leader." ''Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics'' 27#2 (2011): 143–165.</ref>

In cultural and social affairs Putin has collaborated closely with the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]. [[Patriarch Kirill of Moscow]], head of the Church, endorsed his election in 2012 stating Putin's terms were like "a miracle of God".<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Gerlach |editor1-first=Julia |editor2-last=Töpfer |editor2-first=Jochen |title=The Role of Religion in Eastern Europe Today |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1F6vBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA135 |year=2014 |publisher=Springer |page=135 |isbn=978-3-658-02441-3}}</ref> Steven Myers reports, "The church, once heavily repressed, had emerged from the Soviet collapse as one of the most respected institutions... Now Kiril led the faithful directly into an alliance with the state".<ref>{{cite book |author=Myers |title=The New Tsar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1PO4DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA404 |year=2016 |page=404 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing |isbn=978-0-345-80279-8}}</ref>

Mark Woods, a [[Baptists Together|Baptist Union of Great Britain]] minister and contributing editor to ''Christian Today'', provides specific examples of how the Church has backed the expansion of Russian power into Crimea and eastern Ukraine.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|first = Mark |last = Woods |title = How the Russian Orthodox Church is backing Vladimir Putin's new world order |url = http://www.christiantoday.com/article/how.the.russian.orthodox.church.is.backing.vladimir.putins.new.world.order/81108.htm |website = Christian Today |date = 3 March 2016 }}</ref> Some Russian Orthodox believers consider Putin a corrupt and brutal strongman or even a tyrant. Others do not admire him but appreciate that he aggravates their political opponents. Still others appreciate that Putin defends some although not all Orthodox teachings, whether or not he believes in them himself.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url=https://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2016/9/19/dear-editors-at-the-new-york-times-vladimir-putin-is-a-russian-but-putin-is-not-russia |title=Dear editors at The New York Times: Vladimir Putin is a Russian, but Putin is not Russia |last=Mattingly |first=Terry |date=19 September 2016 |website=getreligion.org |publisher=Get Religion |access-date=27 February 2022 |quote="...{{nbsp}}divide these people into at least three groups{{nbsp}}..."}}, a response to {{#invoke:cite|news|first = Andrew |last = Higgins |title = In Expanding Russian Influence, Faith Combines With Firepower |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/europe/russia-orthodox-church.html |work = The New York Times |date = 13 September 2016 }}</ref>

On abortion, Putin stated: "In the modern world, the decision is up to the woman herself".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://fortune.com/2017/12/14/vladimir-putin-russia-abortion-pro-choice-press-conference/ |title = Guess What? Vladimir Putin Is a Pro-Choice Champion |date = 14 December 2017 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> This put him at odds with the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.iwmf.org/reporting/putin-the-pro-choice-champion/ |title = Putin the Pro-Choice Champion – IWMF |website = iwmf.org |date = 20 September 2018 }}</ref> In 2020, he supported efforts to reduce the number of abortions instead of prohibiting it.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/10/27/putin-orders-government-to-improve-abortion-prevention-efforts-a71865 |title = Putin Orders Government to Improve Abortion Prevention Efforts |date = 27 October 2020 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> On 28 November 2023, during a speech to the [[World Russian People's Council]], Putin urged Russian women to have "seven, eight, or even more children" and said "large families must become the norm, a way of life for all of Russia's people".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author=Tom Porter |date=29 November 2023|title=Putin is urging women to have as many as 8 children after so many Russians died in his war with Ukraine|language=en-US |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-putin-urges-russians-8-kids-amid-demographic-crisis-2023-11 |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>

Putin supported the [[2020 Russian constitutional referendum]], which passed and defined marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman in the [[Constitution of Russia]].<ref name="Times-3Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|last1 = Kramer |first1 = Andrew E. |date = 3 March 2020 |title = Putin Proposes Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage |work = [[The New York Times]] |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/world/europe/putin-proposes-constitutional-ban-on-gay-marriage.html |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Guardian-2Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Roth |first = Andrew |date = 2 March 2020 |title = Putin submits plans for constitutional ban on same-sex marriage |work = [[The Guardian]] |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/02/vladimir-putin-submits-plan-enshrine-marriage-between-man-woman-russia |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref><ref name="MosTimes-2Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 2 March 2020 |title = Putin Proposes to Enshrine God, Heterosexual Marriage in Constitution |work = [[Moscow Times]] |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/03/02/putin-proposes-to-enshrine-god-heterosexual-marriage-in-constitution-a69491 |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref>

=== International sporting events ===
[[File:Kylian Mbappé receives the best young player award at the 2018 Football World Cup Russia.jpg|thumb|Putin, [[FIFA]] president [[Gianni Infantino]] and French president [[Emmanuel Macron]] at the [[2018 FIFA World Cup Final]] in Russia as French forward [[Kylian Mbappé]] receives the best young player award]]
In 2007, Putin led a successful effort on behalf of [[Sochi]] for the [[2014 Winter Olympics]] and the [[2014 Winter Paralympics]],<ref name="kremlin-2014">{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://media.kremlin.ru/2007_07_04_01_01.wmv |format = WMV |title = Sochi speech |website = Media.kremlin.ru |year = 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070710000430/https://media.kremlin.ru/2007_07_04_01_01.wmv |archive-date = 10 July 2007 }}</ref> the first [[Winter Olympic Games]] to ever be hosted by Russia. In 2008, the city of [[Kazan]] won the bid for the [[2013 Summer Universiade]]; on 2 December 2010, Russia won the right to host the [[2017 FIFA Confederations Cup]] and [[2018 FIFA World Cup]], also for the first time in Russian history. In 2013, Putin stated that gay athletes would not face any discrimination at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.<ref>"[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24708739 Sochi 2014: Putin declares gay athletes welcome]", BBC (28 October 2013).</ref>