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Read to find out what Russia's economy is like. What industries does it have? What currency do they have?  What are some of their exports and imports? What currency do they have?

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html

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To learn about some of the History of Russia, watch the Edpuzzle

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Where did Russia come from? - Alex Gendler

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Edpuzzle assignment. Make video delivery an interactive experience. Students watch the lesson while answering the quizzes. The teacher gets the powerful hassle-free analytics.

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On your note sheet, write down the largest groups of people found in Russia. Ex. Are there more women? What age are most people?

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On your note sheet, describe Russia's government. How is it structured?  You will also be completing a second worksheet.

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Overview of Russia's Political Structure

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Read about Russia's Religion and take notes on which religions are practiced the most.

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Although ethnic differences in Russia have long contained a religious element, the position of religious organizations and of their individual adherents has varied with political circumstances. In the 10th century Prince Vladimir I, who was converted by missionaries from Byzantium, adopted Christianity as the official religion for Russia, and for nearly 1,000 years thereafter the Russian Orthodox church was the country's dominant religious institution. After the communists took power in 1917, religious institutions suffered. The church was forced to forfeit most of its property, and many monks were evicted from their monasteries. The constitution of the former Soviet Union nominally guaranteed religious freedom, but religious activities were greatly constrained, and membership in religious organizations was considered incompatible with membership in the Communist Party. Thus, open profession of religious belief was a hindrance to individual advancement. More-open expression of Christian beliefs was permitted during World War II, when the government sought the support of Christians and Jews in the fight against fascism, but restrictions were reimposed when the war ended. In the 1980s, under the reformist regime of Mikhail Gorbachev, a policy of glasnost ("openness") was declared, allowing greater toleration for the open practice of religion. The subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union made religious freedom a reality and revealed that large sections of the population had continued to practice a variety of faiths. Indeed, Russian nationalists who emerged beginning in the 1990s identified the Russian Orthodox church as a major element of Russian culture.

Today Russian Orthodoxy is the country's largest religious denomination, representing more than half of all adherents. Organized religion was repressed by Soviet authorities for most of the 20th century, and the nonreligious still constitute more than one-fourth of the population. Other Christian denominations are much smaller and include the Old Believers, who separated from the Russian Orthodox church in the 17th century, and Baptist and Evangelical groups, which grew somewhat in membership during the 20th century. Catholics, both Western rite (Roman) and Eastern rite (Uniate), and Lutherans were numerous in the former Soviet Union but lived mainly outside present-day Russia, where there are few adherents. Muslims constitute Russia's second largest religious group. In 1997 legislation was enacted that constrained denominations outside five "traditional" religions-Russian Orthodoxy, several other Christian denominations, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism-restricting the activities of groups not registered in the country for at least 15 years. For example, groups not meeting this requirement at the time the law was implemented (such as Roman Catholics and Mormons) were unable to operate educational institutions or disseminate religious literature.

Although there is some degree of correlation between language and religion, the two do not correspond entirely. Slavs are overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian. Turkic speakers are predominantly Muslim, although several Turkic groups in Russia are not. For example, Christianity predominates among the Chuvash, Buddhism prevails among large numbers of Altai, Khakass, and Tyvans, and many Turkic speakers east of the Yenisey have retained their shamanistic beliefs (though some have converted to Christianity). Buddhism is common among the Mongolian-speaking Buryat and Kalmyk.

Jews long suffered discrimination in Russia, including purges in the 19th century, repression under the regime of Joseph Stalin, and Nazi atrocities on Russian soil during World War II. Beginning with Gorbachev's reformist policies in the 1980s, Jewish emigration to Israel and elsewhere was permitted on an increasing scale, and the number of Jews living in Russia (and all parts of the former Soviet Union) has decreased. Prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union, about one-third of its Jewish population lived in Russia (though many did not practice Judaism), and now about one-tenth of all Jews in Russia reside in Moscow. In the 1930s Stalin established the Jewish Autonomous Region in the Soviet Far East as a Jewish province, though by the early 21st century only about 5 percent of the province's population was Jewish.

Settlement patterns

Beginning in the 1890s and continuing throughout the next century, many people in Russia migrated from the European portion of the country to Siberia, which constitutes three-fourths of the country's territory but contains only about one-fifth of its population. Some four-fifths of the country's population live in the main settled belt of European Russia, extending between St. Petersburg (northwestern Russia), Kemerovo (Siberia), Orsk (southern Urals), and Krasnodar (northern Caucasus). Population densities in the rural areas in this section range from 25 to 250 persons per square mile, with the higher concentrations occurring in the wooded steppe. In the cities, particularly Moscow, population densities are comparable to other European cities. East of the Urals, across the southern part of the West Siberian Plain, rural densities are considerably lower, rarely exceeding 65 persons per square mile. Beyond the Yenisey the settled zone breaks up into a series of pockets in the extreme south, along the line of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, of which the largest is that in the Amur-Ussuri-Zeya lowlands of southeastern Siberia. In the second half of the 20th century, rural depopulation was a pronounced characteristic, occurring faster in the European section. In the last decades of the 20th century, the rural population fell by some one-fourth in the European section, though it grew in what is now the Southern federal district. Because migration out of rural areas was particularly prevalent among the young, many rural areas are now inhabited primarily by the elderly.

The bulk of the rural population lives in large villages associated with the collective and state farms ( kolkhozy and sovkhozy, respectively) established by the former Soviet regime. These farms have carried on the long-established Russian tradition of communal farming from nucleated settlements. Individual farms started to reappear in the post-Soviet years. By 1995 there were nearly 300,000 private farms, though in the next decade the numbers stagnated or declined. Private farms, however, still produce a tiny fraction of agricultural output. Vast stretches of thinly settled and empty territories lie north of the main settled belt. Sakha (Yakutia)-a minority republic that, with an area of about 1.2 million square miles (3.1 million square km) and about one million inhabitants, has a density of less than one person per square mile-is typical of this zone.

Since the mid-19th century, industrialization and economic development have led to a substantial increase in urbanization. Nearly three-fourths of Russia's population live in what are classified as urban areas. Moscow, the largest metropolis, has twice the population of its nearest rival, St. Petersburg, which in turn dwarfs the size of Russia's other major cities, such as Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod (formerly Gorky), Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-na-Donu, Samara (formerly Kuybyshev), Ufa, and Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk). Several major urban concentrations have developed in the main industrial regions. St. Petersburg (the tsarist capital) stands alone as the northernmost metropolis, whereas Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod are part of the large urbanized central industrial region, which has a score of large cities, numerous smaller towns, and an urban population that constitutes about one-fifth of Russia's total. In the Ural Mountains region, the towns are more widely spaced and include numerous small mining and industrial centres as well as a number of towns with more than 250,000 inhabitants, which altogether amount to an urban population about half that of the Moscow region. The only slightly less-populous Volga region has towns strung out along the riverbanks, with a particularly dense concentration in the vicinity of Samara. European Russia also includes a portion of the Donets Basin (Donbass) industrial zone, arbitrarily split by the Russia-Ukraine boundary; this area's largest city is Rostov-na-Donu, but there are numerous smaller centres.

The main urban concentration east of the Urals is in the Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbass), which is a centre for mining and industry. Major cities also occur at widely separated points along the length of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, including, from west to east, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita, Khabarovsk, and Vladivostok. A few very isolated cities are located in the far north, notably the ports of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk and mining centres such as Vorkuta and Norilsk. Resort towns are a feature of the North Caucasus region, including Sochi (on the Black Sea), Pyatigorsk, and Mineralnye Vody. Elsewhere, the capitals of provinces and other administrative divisions are the main towns, having grown to considerable size as the organizing centres for their territories.

Demographic trends

During the 1990s Russia began experiencing a negative population growth rate. Primary reasons for this was a decline in the fertility rate (particularly of ethnic Russians) similar to that in Japan and in many western European countries. There was also a steep drop in life expectancy beginning in the early 1990s, a result of inadequacies in the health-care system and poor nutrition; high smoking and alcoholism rates and environmental pollution were also considered contributing factors.

Declines in life expectancy were more pronounced among men and resulted in a growing gap between the number of men and women in the country. Higher rates of natural increase (population growth resulting from more births than deaths) continue among some minority groups, particularly those of Islamic background. Until the 1990s migration from the European sector to Siberia was the primary cause of regional variations in population growth rates. For example, in the 1980s, when Russia's population increased by about 7 percent, growth exceeded 15 percent in much of Siberia but was less than 2 percent in parts of western Russia. During the 1990s, however, eastern Siberia (at least according to official statistics) suffered a dramatic population decline, a result of substantial outmigrations caused by the phaseout of heavy government subsidies, upon which it was heavily dependent.

The long-declining Russian birth rate has led to a progressive aging of the population. In the early 21st century, for example, roughly one-sixth of the population of Russia was below age 15, while the proportion of those age 60 and above topped one-fifth. The proportion of children was generally higher, and that of the elderly lower, among the non-Russian ethnic groups, which have maintained a somewhat higher birth rate. An aging population and the drop in fertility rates led many demographers to foresee a long-term labour shortage.

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Although ethnic differences in Russia have long contained a religious element, the position of religious organizations and of their individual adherents has varied with political circumstances. In the 10th century Prince Vladimir I, who was converted by missionaries from Byzantium, adopted Christianity as the official religion for Russia, and for nearly 1,000 years thereafter the Russian Orthodox church was the country's dominant religious institution.

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Look up a family in Russia (hint there is only one) and write down some of the day to day things this family does. What kinds of foods do they eat? What does their house look like? What are their living conditions like? Ect.

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Dollar Street - photos as data to kill country stereotypes

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Imagine the world as a street. Everyone lives on Dollar Street. The poorest to the left and the richest on the right. Every else live somewhere in between. Where would you live? Visit Dollar Street and see homes from hundreds of homes from all over the World.

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You can also use this to write down some events that took place in Russia.

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Kids learn about the history and timeline of the country of Russia including early civilizations, the empire, Tsars, the Russian Revolution, communism, Soviet Union, cold war, and current events.

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This will also help you with different social groups of Russia

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Russia is one of the countries with the largest numbers of ethnic groups in Europe. It is a multinational state with around 185 ethnic groups or nationalities. These groups have varied population from millions of people forming one ethnic group to just ten thousand forming the smallest group. The ethnic groups or nationalities are spread across the country and represented in all the levels of government. In Russia, there are over 185 ethnic groups and more than 100 languages spoken with Russian being the official state language. Some of the largest ethnic groups in Russia include Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, and Bashkirs. The majority of Russians identify with Orthodox Christianity.

Russians

Ethnic Russians account for 81% of the entire population of the country. Russians belong to the East Slavic ethnic group who are natives of Eastern Europe. The population of Russia is 129 million people as of 2012 with over 86% of them living in Russia while the majority of the 14% live in the former Soviet Union states, especially Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Russians are mainly polytheists and the culture varies and unique in many ways. The culture has a long history in art, literature, painting, philosophy, architecture, and classical music. 41% of the Russian population identifies with Russian Orthodox Church, and other people are Old Believers, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventists, and Evangelicals.

Tatars

Tatars belong to a Turkic language speaking group, and are found living mainly in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Tatars originated from the Tatar confederation in Gobi Desert in the 5th century. The Tatar language forms part of the Kypchak language. Tatar has three dialects. Namely, these are Misher spoken by the Mishar, the central dialect spoken by the Astrakhan, and Kazan and Sibir spoken by the Siberian Tatars. Most of the Tatars are Volga Tatar and Crimean Tatar. Tatars are the second largest ethnic group in Russia forming 3.9% of the population. Most of the Tatars are Muslims while they also identify with the old literature.

Ukrainians

Ukrainians comprise the third largest ethnic group in Russia, accounting for 1.4% of the population. Ukrainians belong to the East Slavic ethnic group and are of Ukraine origin. Te Ukrainian ethnic group is more populous in Ukraine where they make over 75% of the population. 1.9 million People in Russia belong to this group. There are several sub-ethnic groups among the Ukrainians including Lemkos, Hutsuls, Boykos, and Volhynians. Ukrainian culture mainly exhibits the European influence because of the Ukraine's geographical location. Strong Christian culture dominates the ethnic group with Catholic and Orthodox also dominating. An element of Islam is also evident in the group. Ukrainians are also known for their music and dance.

Bashkirs

The Bashkir belong to the Turkic group of peoples, and make up 1.2% of the Russian population. The group lives in Perm Krai, Orenburg, Kurgan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Bashkirs speak the Bashkir language and share cultural practices with other Turkic peoples. Bashkirs are mainly Sunni Muslims. The ethnic group primarily practices agriculture and cattle beekeeping. Some of their favorite dishes include oyra and a cheese called qorot.

The other main ethnic groups in Russia include the Chuvash, making up 1.1% of the Russian population, the Chechens at 1.0%, and Armenians at 0.9%. Orthodox Christianity is the most widespread religion in Russia, while visual art dominates the culture of the country. With so many ethnic groups in the country, the minority groups have been justifiably recognized through legislation.

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Russia is one of the countries with the largest numbers of ethnic groups in Europe. It is a multinational state with around 185 ethnic groups or nationalities. These groups have varied population from millions of people forming one ethnic group to just ten thousand forming the smallest group.

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See CNN's Russia Fast Facts for a look at the Russian Federation, which is the largest country in the world, covering more than one-ninth of the earth's land area.

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Look at the different paintings and write down how you would describe the art. You will be analyzing two pieces of art on a separate worksheet.

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The Russian Art Gallery: Classics Of Soviet Art

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Russian Art Gallery. Nonprofit presentation of famous Russian paintings, Works on paper and Sculpture. Classics, Soviet Realism and Contemporary Russian art.

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More famous Russian Art

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From "Ninth Wave" to "Black Square," these famous Russian paintings are known by almost everyone in the country, and can be seen on school or hotel walls, and even on chocolate boxes and calendars. Let's take a closer look at these treasured images that have helped define the national identity.

1. "Portrait of an Unknown Woman" (1883) by Ivan Kramskoy

Kramskoy's most famous painting has many secrets even until today. Since the artist took the true identity of the model to his grave, there have been many theories about who exactly was depicted in this painting. For example, there is a legend that Matryona, a peasant girl from Kursk who married a nobleman, was the prototype of this 'Russian Mona Lisa.' Kramskoy met her in St. Petersburg, and was captivated by her beauty.
2. "The Morning of the Streltsy Execution" (1881) by Vasily Surikov
This large-scale historical painting depicts a tragic moment in Russian history. The picture became the first great work by Vasily Surikov, and was bought for the Tretyakov collection.

The artist turned to the epoch of Russia's first emperor, Peter the Great, at the time when he suppressed the Streletsky, the palace guard headed by Peter's sister, Princess Sophia. While in real life the traitors were executed, Surikov didn't show the execution itself. Instead, he concentrated on the guards' tragic fate at a time of historic turmoil.

3. "The Girl with Peaches" (1887) by Valentin Serov

This painting earned Serov national fame as a master of psychological portraiture. Here is 12-year-old Vera Mamontova, daughter of Savva Mamontov, one of the richest Russian entrepreneurs and philanthropists of his day, sitting in the dining room of the family estate.
4. "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper" (1880) by Arkhip Kuindzhi
This masterpiece was shown in St. Petersburg in 1880 during an exhibition of only one painting, and it became an immediate sensation. Visitors were attracted by the unusual realism of the moon's light as it reflected off the Dnieper River.
5. "Portrait of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin" (1827) by Orest Kiprensky
This artwork is probably the most famous portrait of acclaimed Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, who is depicted with a head turned to the left and arms crossed on his chest. On the poet's right shoulder is Scotch plaid, and with this detail the artist shows Pushkin's connection to Byron, the idol of the Romantic era.

After the portrait was finished, Pushkin dedicated his poem, "To Kiprensky," to the artist, saying that when looking at the painting he sees himself in a mirror, and this mirror flatters him.
6. "The Appearance of Christ to the People" (1837 - 1857) by Alexander Ivanov
This is the main artwork by Alexander Ivanov, who worked on it for 20 years, making over 600 sketches. The completed painting was purchased by Emperor Alexander II. Some paintings by Ivanov, including sketches for "The Appearance of Christ to the People," will be going to the Vatican Museum later in 2018 for the exhibition, "Biblical Themes in Russian Painting."
7. "Ninth Wave" (1850) by Ivan Aivazovsky
An acclaimed genius of marine art, Aivazovsky was one of Russia's most prolific artists. "Ninth Wave" is recognized as his greatest masterpiece.
8. "The Rooks Have Come Back" (1871) by Aleksey Savrasov
Every schoolgirl or boy must write an essay dedicated to this painting, and so Russians know this artwork from childhood. "Rooks" is so popular that Savrasov is sometimes called an 'author of one painting,' because none of his other masterpieces can compare to this one.
9. "Bathing of the Red Horse" (1912) by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Created several years before the Russian Revolution, this painting is seen as prophetic, and there are many interpretations of this image. According to one version, the Red Horse is Russia itself, and the artist symbolically predicted the country's "red" fate in the 20th century.
10. "Black Square" (1915) by Kazimir Malevich
As the utmost manifestation of Suprematism, "Black Square" proclaimed a complete break with objectivity in painting, and the image encapsulates the philosophic concept of anti-art.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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10 of the most famous paintings every Russian knows

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From "Ninth Wave" to "Black Square," these famous Russian paintings are known by almost everyone in the country, and can be seen on school or hotel walls, and even on chocolate boxes and calendars. Let's take a closer look at these treasured images that have helped define the national identity.

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Song might sound familiar, the dance is more popular.

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Russian coat of arms.

In theory, Russia is a federal, democratic state.

In practice, it is believed that virtually all power in Russia is in the hands of its president, Vladimir Putin.

Putin has ruled Russia since the year 2000.

Since Putin took power in Russia, he has been accused of eroding human rights and democratic freedoms in the country.

On paper, Russia is a federal democratic state. In practice, however, many regard it as a dictatorship built around one man, President Vladimir Putin, who has been the leader of the Russian Federation since the year 2000. Russia has all the working parts of a democratic state, but since Putin took power, experts believe these working parts have been made to serve him and those close to him. Today, many believe that Putin now controls all levers of power in the country.

Post-Soviet Russia's Democratic Institutions

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. The Russian Federation, formerly the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, was one of 15 former Soviet republics to become independent. From this point onward, Russia began a chaotic transition from a communist dictatorship to a capitalist, multiparty democracy.

In 1993, a new constitution was ratified, formally making the country into a federal, democratic republic. This constitution supposedly protects people's fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression and freedom of association. Article 10 of the constitution mentions the executive, legislative, and judicial branches that one would expect to find in any modern democracy, as well as the powers of those branches. It also proclaims the independence of the three branches.

The executive branch of Russia's government is headed by the President. The President of the Russian Federation is supposed to be the ultimate guarantor of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Russian people. He or she is responsible for maintaining the country's sovereignty, coordinating the function and interaction of state bodies, determining the basic objectives of both foreign and domestic policy, and representing Russia on the international stage. The Russian President is also the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces. He or she is directly elected by Russia's voters for a term of six years.

Federation Council building in Moscow, Russia. Image credit: VAUko/Shutterstock

It is the job of the Russian President to appoint a Prime Minister, which must be approved by the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, known as the Federal Assembly. The Prime Minister then appoints members of his or her cabinet, who head government ministries and departments, such as the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Article 94 of the Russian constitution puts legislative power in the hands of the Federal Assembly, which is a bicameral legislature composed of two houses. The lower house is the previously-mentioned State Duma, and the upper house is called the Federation Council. The State Duma is composed of 450 members, who are elected for terms of five years. The Federation Council consists of two representatives from each constituent entity of the Russian Federation. One representative represents the legislative branches of the constituent entities, and the other represents the executives of those entities. Also, the Russian President has the right to appoint his own representatives to the Federation Council, so long as their numbers do not exceed 10% of all its members.

The Constitution of the Russian Federation also establishes a judicial branch that is supposed to act independently of the executive and legislative branches of government. The highest courts in Russia are the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. Judges of both the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court are appointed by the Federation Council based on a proposal by the Russian President. The Russian President also appoints the judges of the federal courts.

The Emergence Of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin in 2017. Image credit: Frederic Legrand - COMEO/Shutterstock

Between 1991 and 2000, Russia's transition to democracy was chaotic and fraught with challenges. The economy was contracting, so many Russians found themselves poor and destitute. The country was also suppressing an armed, separatist rebellion in the Republic of Chechnya, one of Russia's federal entities, located in the south of the country. Nevertheless, Russia was emerging as a vibrant, multiparty democracy. That is, until shortly after the turn of the century.

On New Year's Eve in 1999, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who led the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, resigned his position and turned power over to his prime minister, Vladimir Putin, who would subsequently win the presidential elections of that year. Putin gained popular support for his actions in Chechnya after he became prime minister in the summer of 1999. Shortly after becoming president, he worked successfully to stabilize Russia's economy, earning him even more popular support. This popular support paved the way for his ability to make gradual changes to the operations of the Russian government over the years that followed.

Putin Consolidates Power

Arguably the first step Putin took to consolidate his power came in 2001, when the Russian government took over ORT and NTV, two of the most popular independent media outlets in the country. This was the beginning of Putin's crackdown on the media in general. Over the next few years, he would work to overhaul Russia's political institutions to centralize power under him. He also established his own political party, the United Russia party, which would go on to dominate the legislative branch of Russia's government.

In 2008, Putin had to resign the Russian Presidency as he was only allowed to serve two consecutive terms in line with the country's constitution. Thus, he became prime minister once more until 2012, when he was allowed to run for the Presidency again. Between 2008 and 2012, it was generally assumed that even though another person was serving as the president, the real power remained with Putin. In 2012, Putin again won the presidential election. He then had the constitution amended to add an extra two years to his four-year term, so that he could remain president until 2018 when he was then elected to a second term. Thus, he can remain in power until 2024. Some, however, believe that he will seek to amend the constitution so that he can rule beyond the end of his second consecutive term.

Putin's Russia

Supporters of Alexei Navalny at a rally in Moscow, Russia. Image credit: NickolayV/Shutterstock

Opposition to Putin's rule has not ceased, but opposing the Russian President can lead to dire, if not fatal, consequences. Putin has been accused of assassinating some of his critics on both Russian and foreign soil. Protests in Russia are violently suppressed, and opponents of Putin are routinely arrested and jailed. Some are given lengthy prison sentences.

In the most recent case, Alexei Navalny, who is considered by many to be the most prominent opposition leader in Russia, was given a three and a half-year prison sentence for violating the terms of his probation. His probation is related to another sentence handed down to him for corruption charges viewed by many as political and baseless. Moreover, Navalny violated his probation when he sought medical treatment abroad after being poisoned by a nerve agent. Many suspect that Putin was behind the poisoning, which almost led to Navalny's death. On the night Navalny was jailed, more than 1,000 of his supporters were also arrested.

Putin now dominates all aspects of Russia's politics. Russia's media is all but entirely controlled by Putin and his supporters. Putin has even built a kind of personality cult around himself, in the same way as other dictators throughout history have done. The wheels of democracy, in theory, are still turning in Russia. Elections are still held, but they are widely regarded as shams, especially since Putin and his allies always change the country's election laws in their favor. In fact, even the poll workers themselves must be members of Putin's United Russia party. Votes are counted behind closed doors, and the results are routinely suspected of being rigged. Many would argue that Russia is fast becoming a totalitarian dictatorship.

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What Type Of Government Does Russia Have?

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In theory, Russia is a federal, democratic state. In practice, it is believed that virtually all power in Russia is in the hands of its president, Vladimir Putin. Putin has ruled Russia since the year 2000. Since Putin took power in Russia, he has been accused of eroding human rights and democratic freedoms in the country.