Everyone knows that Vladimir Putin is the hard-edged and controversial leader of Russia,
but did you know that he has a more…human side as well?
Keep watching to learn the truth about Vladimir Putin's ex-wife.
"It may be the biggest breakup in Moscow since
the dissolution of all those Soviet socialist republics."
Although Vladimir Putin is one of the most powerful men in the world and is often in the
spotlight, he likes to keep his personal life private. The public knows, however,
that Putin was once married.
Vladimir Putin met Lyudmila Shkrebneva when she was working as a flight attendant for Aeroflot.
She had a layover in Leningrad, where she spent a few days.
The two met through a mutual friend who invited them to watch a comedian
perform. They started dating soon after. Putin said in his Kremlin biography:
"I was used to life as a bachelor, but Lyudmila changed that."
Vladimir and Lyudmila wed in 1983 and have two daughters together.
Lyudmila graduated from Leningrad State University in 1986
and is a qualified linguist. For a while, she worked as a German instructor. Later,
she stood by her husband's side and fulfilled her duties as first lady when Putin became president.
Apparently, their marriage wasn't without the typical spousal conflicts.
Lyudmila's best friend wrote a book and quoted the Russian First Lady as saying:
"Unfortunately, my husband is a vampire, but he is just the right man for me."
She also mentions that Putin didn't like Lyudmila's fascination with horoscopes,
and allegedly said that if anyone could spend three weeks with his wife,
then they, quote, "deserved a monument."
Lyudmila was born in Kaliningrad, a city in Western Russia that sits on the Pregolya River,
in 1958 to a working-class family. Her father worked at a mechanical plant
and her mother was a cashier. In her younger years, Lyudmila was said to
have excelled in literature and the Russian language. She was especially interested in
reading and writing poetry and had aspirations of becoming an actress.
After finishing high school, Lyudmila went on to study at Kaliningrad Technical University.
She then worked at her local post office before becoming an apprentice at a machinery plant
and then a nurse. After that, she began her career as a flight attendant.
Lyudmila eventually decided to attend Leningrad State University,
now known as Saint Petersburg State University, to study different languages at the Department
of Philology. She was in her third year at the university when she met Putin.
Later she would go on to work other jobs which included teaching German, working
in a clothing store, and as a representative for a telecommunications company in Moscow.
In the mid to late 1980s, the Putin family lived in Dresden, East Germany
where Vladimir was stationed by the KGB. Lyudmila worked as a linguist while Putin,
working as a secret agent, used the cover story that he was a translator.
Through Vladimir Putin's rise to power, Lyudmila stayed away from the spotlight and rarely showed
her face to the public. A Russian designer who dressed Lyudmila for special occasions
revealed that the first lady was not prepared for a life in politics when it was thrust upon her.
The designer is reported to have said:
"She was not ready for this role. Being a president's wife came down on her unexpectedly."
After almost 30 years of marriage, Vladimir and Lyudmila announced their joint decision
to dissolve the marriage in 2013. Before their official announcement,
there were already rumors of a separation, as Lyudmila was rarely seen in public with Vladimir.
Still, the divorce announcement came as a surprise. It was not common practice for
high-ranking politicians to end their marriage while in office.
Putin was the first Russian president to divorce while still in the position.
During their announcement, the former couple said that it was a "civilized divorce."
"This is really our mutual decision. Our marriage is over because we barely see each other."
According to Lyudmila, they lived their lives independently.
She stated that she and Putin would always be friends, and Putin agreed with that sentiment.
In 2016, Lyudmila married an extremely wealthy Russian businessman who worked at an events
agency. The couple has known each other since the early 2000s. After their marriage, they moved to
France and bought a $7.46 million villa. Check out one of our newest videos right
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