We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Vladimir Putin, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more interesting details about the Russian president’s life that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you learn!
Number Eight: He Pursued a Law Degree in Hopes of Joining the KGB. When Putin learned that attending law school would greatly increase his chances of being recruited into the KGB, he decided to enroll at Leningrad State University in 1970. He was then recruited into the KGB at the age of 22.
Number Seven: He Was Undercover for Five Years. Putin is fluent in German, and he can also appear to look Nordic, so he was sent to Dresden in 1985 and spent the next five years undercover. He was very good at what he did and was not put off by violence.
Number Six: He Is Ultimately a Calculator. Putin calculates his moves, rather than reacting to what other people do. He is very rational and is capable of measuring costs of something against its benefits.
Number Five: He Likes The Beatles. Apparently, Putin is a fan of The Beatles – his favorite member of The Beatles is Paul McCartney, and his favorite song by The Beatles is “Yesterday.”
Number Four: He Sleeps In. Putin reportedly likes to sleep in, and he doesn’t eat his breakfast until around noon each day.
Number Three: He Loves Swimming. Putin has admitted that he likes to swim, and he reportedly goes swimming every day after breakfast. Swimming allows Putin to clear his mind and properly think.
Number Two: He Doesn’t Live in Moscow. Putin has said that he finds Moscow too congested, so he has a palace outside of the city. This palace is where he performs most of his work.
Number One: He Hates the Internet. He has actually said that he finds the internet confusing. However, Putin has said that he loves spy novels, so you might be more likely to find him reading a good spy novel than browsing Reddit for one.