The Vladimir Putin Quiz: Bare-Chested Champion of Russia

Putin was born in 1952. His modest childhood belies his current superstar power.

He's been active with martial arts since he was a boy. In 2014 he earned an 8th-degree black belt in judo.

Putin also has a 9th-dan ranking in taekwondo. In short, don't challenge him to a fight unless you want a black eye.

We have yet to hear he prefers Vladdy McVladimirovich.

Putin was the only one of three sons to survive to adulthood. One brother died in childbirth and the other perished during the Siege of Leningrad.

Like all adult Russian men during World War II, Putin's father served in the armed forces. He was gravely wounded during the conflict but lived until 1999.

Putin put effort into excelling as an athlete and an academic, as well.

You've seen those eyes, right? Putin fulfilled a childhood dream by joining the KGB, working in Russian intelligence.

Steven Seagal wanted President Obama to be impeached ... but he is buddies with Putin. As a show of friendship, Putin bestowed him with Russian citizenship.

Vladimir benefited from high oil prices and smart governing. The economy grew by leaps and bounds, helping to solidify his power.

Putin was born and raised in Leningrad, a very Russian city.

Boris Yeltsin suddenly resigned his post. The abrupt vacancy meant that Putin ascended to prime minister in 1999.

He was brought up in the Communist Party. But he gave up his membership in the party in 1991, as the Soviet Union crumbled around him.

Yeltsin no longer felt up to the task of governing, but he hoped that Putin could succeed.

In 2002, Putin signed an agreement with President George W. Bush to reduce the size of Russia's nuclear arsenal. The agreement stipulated that the reduction must occur before 2013.

Vladimir identifies as an Orthodox Christian and regularly attends services.

If he drinks, he doesn't do it in public. Putin cultivates a clean-living public persona that Russians admire, especially after the lush named Yeltsin.

Putin speaks fluent German and was in Berlin when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

In a media event that was later widely called a stunt outside of the country, Putin said of the vases, "my boys and I found them." This was true, in the sense that they had indeed just found them...supposedly in 6 feet of clear water, where archaeologists had recently deposited them to be found, presumably for the occasion.

Putin enjoys wildlife, particularly rare species. He's worked to improve protection for animals such as polar bears, tigers, whales and other struggling animals.

He was married in 1983 to Lyudmila Putina and had two children with her. They announced their divorce in 2013.

Russian elections prompt skepticism from some observers. In 2004, Putin ran away with the election by capturing 71 percent of the vote.

Russia has been ramping up its military capacity for years. It now spends a greater portion of its gross domestic product on the military than does the U.S.

Initially, citizens were alarmed at the carnage that Putin caused. But, possibly given the bloody nature of the rest of the conflict with Chechen rebels, the cultural perception shifted.

Never let a few rules get in the way of autocracy. Putin simply gave up the presidency and became prime minister again...and further increased his influence.

Many Russians (and foreigners) felt that the election was rigged. Many protesters hit the streets and insisted that there be another election. They didn't get one.

Putin allowed Russian forces to strike in Syria during that country's awful civil war. They fought in support of the established Syrian government in an effort to stamp out religious jihadists and rebels.

Putin has made a lot of enemies, and he doesn't want his daughters to become targets. Their lives are mostly secret. They often go by assumed names. However, one was recently revealed to have a career as a competitive dance-gymnast.

He sees the media as a potential opponent that could undermine his power. He controls the media as much as possible and has agencies in place to keep tabs on internet outlets, too.

Putin felt that Trump was better than Hillary Clinton, at least for Russia's sake. He authorized a secret campaign that sought to boost Trump and hurt Clinton during the election cycle.

Putin is no great supporter of the gay movement. In one instance, he abruptly banned certain gay symbols, such as the rainbow flag.

Under Yeltsin, Russian struggled in the world economy. Putin's work has improved quality of life for many citizens, and as a result, a large portion of Russia supports its longstanding leader. It's also possible that some citizens are more likely to high approval ratings rather than risk being seen as a dissident.