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After 20 years, is Vladimir Putin’s untouchable image crumbling?
During Vladimir Putin's two decades in power, polls have often shown Russians blame their government rather than their president for their problems.
Amidst a new wave of domestic tension, that could be changing.
- Emily Sherwin
- Deutsche Welle
Vladimir Putin kicked off his reign at the top of Russian politics on August 9, 1999, when he took over as prime minister.
At the time, the man who would ultimately become Boris Yeltsin’s successor was a relatively unknown figure.
Now in his fourth term as president (with another stint as prime minister in between), Putin has long been viewed as politically untouchable — including when it comes to public opinion.
“The czar is…