...Second President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits he is the current Prime Minister of Russia. His sock puppet, Dmitry Medvedev, was installed in the 2008 presidential elections. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law. During his eight years in office Russia's economy bounced back from crisis, seeing GDP increase, poverty decrease and average monthly salaries increase. During his presidency Putin passed into law a series of fundamental reforms, including a flat income tax of 13%, a reduced profits tax, and new land and legal codes. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile...has called the Boston Marathon kabooms a "disgusting" crime.
Putin has offered assistance in investigating Monday's twin bombings in Boston that killed three people and maimed more than 170, saying in a condolences note Tuesday that the international community should come together to fight terrorism.
He followed up on that Thursday while opening the Ice Hockey Under 18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia's Black Sea resort that will host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Speaking before the game of Russian and U.S. teams, Putin called for a moment of silence and offered condolences. He said that the fact that the Boston attack occurred during a major sports event made it "particularly disgusting."