jan 1, 2000 - Putin was inaugurated

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determined to maintain Russia as what he called a “first-tier nation”. He was adamant that Russians should take pride in their history and not be ashamed or guilty of their past. The victory in WWII, which was still known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, became a national founding myth for Russia. Putin's personal image evolved to reinforce the narrative of a renewed country, and a series of photos, each one seems more ridiculous than the last, emerged: Putin at the controls of a race car and a fighter jet, Putin riding a horse bare-chested, and so on. His way of ruling also changed, the circle of decision makers beside him reduced and more people with security service background expanded, many of whom he has known since his KGB days. They also never talk to journalists, keeping information classified, and Putin himself rarely meets with regular Russians, including his former wife, Ludmila. He tries to make a narrative of Russian glory, starting with Prince Vladimir the Great of Kievan Russ in the 10th-11th century, and ending with Vladimir Putin.

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