Putin's Birthdays Through the Decades, in Photos
Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrates his 69th birthday on Thursday.
While he typically spends his birthdays at work, ending the day with family and friends at home, he occasionally marks the big day with special celebrations like a hockey game with NHL stars or drinking vodka with Chinese and Japanese heads of state.
Here’s a look back at how Putin has spent his birthdays, both as president and prime minister:
While he typically spends his birthdays at work, ending the day with family and friends at home, he occasionally marks the big day with special celebrations like a hockey game with NHL stars or drinking vodka with Chinese and Japanese heads of state.
Here’s a look back at how Putin has spent his birthdays, both as president and prime minister:
This year, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was the first foreign leader to congratulate Putin for his birthday. Putin also held a video call with the Security Council, with plans to celebrate his birthday with family and friends in the evening.
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Last year, Putin spent his birthday making calls to foreign leaders and did an interview with the state-run Rossiya broadcaster. The Kremlin said he spent the rest of the day with family and friends.
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In 2019, Putin spent his 67th birthday with family and friends, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A few days earlier, he took a hiking trip in Siberia with Sergei Shoigu, his Defense Minister.
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Putin first spent his birthday in the Siberian forests in 2014. He has gone on such hiking trips several times since then and “developed a special bond with Siberia,” according to Peskov.
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In 2017, Putin began his birthday with scheduled meetings with the Security Council and calls to foreign leaders. He then had a one-on-one meeting with Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s infamous former prime minister.
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In 2015, Putin met with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, where the two officials discussed Russia's military intervention in Syria. Later in the day, Putin donned his hockey gear for a game with NHL stars where he scored seven goals.
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After the game ended, Putin was awarded a medal “For loyalty and love of hockey” by legendary Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretyak.
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Putin was at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bali for his birthday in 2013. The day started with meetings between leaders from Asian-Pacific countries and ended with Putin drinking vodka with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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In 2009, Putin celebrated his second birthday as Russia’s Prime Minister. In this photo, then-President Dmitry Medvedev congratulates his Prime Minister on his 57th birthday.
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