Putin's role in making Russia dominant

Vladimir Putin has been successful in restoring restore Russian dominance over post-Soviet states by having an unconventional weapon in his arsenal: vast supplies of natural gas.Since 1999, Putin has been rotating between the presidency and the prime minister's office. Putin was re-elected to the presidency in March 2012. In 2014, he was reportedly nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, on October 7, 1952. After graduating from Leningrad State University in 1975, he began his career in the KGB as an intelligence officer. Stationed mainly in East Germany, he held that position until 1989.