Vladimir Putin's Early Life Story

How Russian President Vladimir Putin rose to power from the ashes of the Soviet Union. Subscribe to TDC for more videos like this: Facebook Google Twitter Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad, Soviet Union, the city now known as Saint Petersburg. Growing up poor, he chased rats around the stairwells of his shabby apartment building. His father - also called Vladimir - served on Soviet submarines and, during WWII, was severely wounded while fighting on the front lines. Putin's mother, Maria, was a factory worker. She had given birth to Vladimir's two older brothers, but they both died before he was born. Vladimir's grandfather was apparently a talented chef who cooked for Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. As a young man, Putin spent a lot of time i