Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

== Villainy ==
* Putin is accused of rigging the 2016 US election in favor of [[Donald Trump]] by spreading disinformation about Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton, and having the GRU hack into the Democratic Party's information systems to steal computer files.<ref name=Mueller>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-mueller-investigation-explained-2/ The Mueller Investigation, Explained]</ref>
** A US intelligence report found that Putin unsuccessfully tried to interfere in the 2020 US election by spreading damaging information about Trump's rival Joe Biden. <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/us/politics/election-interference-russia-2020-assessment.amp.html Russian Interference in 2020 Included Influencing Trump Associates, Report Says], ''The New York Times''</ref>
* His administration has been accused of committing domestic terrorist attacks in Russia.
** Most notably, when Putin was Prime Minister his government is suspected of ordering the [[1999 Russian apartment bombings]], which killed 307 people, and blaming Chechen terrorists as a pretext for the invasion of Chechnya which resulted in the [[Second Chechen War]]<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/2016/08/vladimir-putin-1999-russian-apartment-house-bombings-was-putin-responsible/ The Unsolved Mystery Behind the Act of Terror That Brought Putin to Power], ''National Review''</ref><ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-1999-russian-apartment-bombings-led-to-putins-rise-to-power-2018-3 How a series of deadly Russian apartment bombings in 1999 led to Putin's rise to power], ''Business Insider''</ref>. Alexander Litvinenko, the defector who first accused Putin of this, was later assassinated in the UK by Russian security forces.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/21/russia-responsible-for-alexander-litvinenko-death-european-court-rules Russia responsible for Alexander Litvinenko death, European court rules], ''The Guardian''</ref>
* Following the 1999 Russian apartment bombings, allegedly by Chechen terrorists, Putin ordered the Russian Armed Forces to bombard the Chechen city of Grozny with ballistic missiles. The attack resulted in numerous civilian deaths and has been characterized as a [[war crimes|war crime]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/482193.stm Russians at odds over market attack], ''BBC News''</ref> Many other war crimes were committed during the course of the war.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/10/12/russia-condemned-chechnya-killings Russia condemned over Chechnya killings], ''Human Rights Watch''</ref><ref>[http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/AllDocsByUNID/45d2165b40636215c12568f20052f83c Russian atrocities in Chechnya detailed]</ref>
* He has enacted purges of several of his political enemies, with prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny being imprisoned for alleged corruption. Navalny's imprisonment has been internationally condemned as a sham, and the Russian government is accused of trying to have Navalny poisoned in prison.<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/05/statement-on-alexei-navalnys-status-as-prisoner-of-conscience/ Statement on Alexei Navalny's status as Prisoner of Conscience], ''Amnesty International''</ref>
* He has banned protests<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/08/russia-end-of-the-road-for-those-seeking-to-exercise-their-right-to-protest/ Russia: End of the road for those seeking to exercise their right to protest], ''Amnesty International''</ref> and has people imprisoned for posting memes that mock the government or church.<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45247879.amp The memes that might get you jailed in Russia], ''BBC News''</ref> He is also openly anti-LGBT,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/world/europe/putin-proposes-constitutional-ban-on-gay-marriage.html Putin proposes constitutional ban on gay marriage], ''The New York Times''</ref> having banned gay pride parades<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19293465 Gay parades banned in Moscow for 100 years], ''BBC News''</ref> and public discussion of homosexuality<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130911233809/https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/russia-lgbti-g20-2013-09-04 G20 leaders must reject Russia’s homophobic law], ''Amnesty International''</ref> among other things. 
* He is allies with [[Alexander Lukashenko]], [[Viktor Yanukovych]], [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], [[Bashar al-Assad]], [[Alpha Condé]], [[Kim Jong-un]], [[Narendra Modi]], [[Nicolás Maduro]], [[Faustin-Archange Touadéra]], [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], [[Ali Khamenei]], [[Mohammed bin Salman]], [[Rodrigo Duterte]], [[Min Aung Hlaing]], [[Hun Sen]], [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]], [[Isaias Afewerki]], [[Daniel Ortega]], [[Marine Le Pen]], [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]], [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow]], [[Than Shwe]], [[Omar al-Bashir]], [[Emomali Rahmon]], [[Askar Akayev]], [[Sadyr Japarov]], [[Ilham Aliyev]], [[Serzh Sargsyan]], [[Jair Bolsonaro]], and [[Xi Jinping]]. He also was friendly with [[Muammar Gaddafi]], [[Saddam Hussein]], [[Kim Jong-il]], [[Fidel Castro]], [[Robert Mugabe]], [[Slobodan Milosevic]], [[Hugo Chávez]], [[Saparmurat Niyazov]], [[Islam Karimov]], [[Heydar Aliyev]], [[Aung San Suu Kyi]], [[Leonid Kuchma]], [[Silvio Berlusconi]], [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], [[Viktor Orbán]], [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], [[Aleksandar Vučić]] and [[Donald Trump]].
* He has suppressed all mass media that is not controlled by the state.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2013/eur/220324.htm Human Rights Report: Russia], US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor</ref>
* In 2014 Putin ordered the successful invasion and annexation of Crimea, which was declared a violation of international law by the United Nations.<ref>[https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N18/451/02/PDF/N1845102.pdf?OpenElement United Nations General Assembly resolution 73/194. "Problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov"], United Nations</ref> This was followed in February 2022 when Putin ordered an [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]] in support of the pro-Russian [[Donetsk People's Republic|Donetsk]] and  [[Luhansk People's Republic]]s. The ongoing invasion has included illegal referendums internationally condemned as rigged to add parts of Ukraine to Russian territory<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63052207 Ukraine war: Russia claims win in occupied Ukraine 'sham' referendums], ''BBC News''</ref> and has been characterized by widespread [[war crimes]] by Russian troops.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/03/ukraine-apparent-war-crimes-russia-controlled-areas Ukraine: Apparent War Crimes in Russia-Controlled Areas: Summary Executions, Other Grave Abuses by Russian Forces], ''Human Rights Watch''</ref>
* Despite the Russian Constitution forbidding the use of [[torture]], Russian authorities have been accused of torturing detainees by human rights groups during Putin's time in office.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/07/07/russia-peaceful-protesters-detained-abused Russia: Peaceful Protesters Detained, Abused], ''Human Rights Watch''</ref> Russian troops in Ukraine have also been implicated in torturing prisoners of war.<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/11/23/ukraine-war-un-report-details-abuse-and-torture-in-russian-prisons.html UN report details horrifying Ukrainian accounts of abuse and torture in Russian prisons], ''CNBC''</ref>
* During Putin's years in office, a series of Russian democrats, journalists, and opposition leaders have been killed in mysterious circumstances.<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/list-of-people-putin-is-suspected-of-assassinating-2016-3%3famp Here’s a list of Putin critics who've ended up dead], ''Business Insider''</ref>
* According to [https://www.iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/dd6490ae-4752-41e1-aecf-4b5237972994 this article] by Finnish magazine and tabloid Iltalehti, a report by political ministries revealed that Putin and his government are trying to control Finnish politics and possibly detach Finland politically from other Nordic countries, the Baltic states and the political camp managed by the USA and Great Britain.
* Has been accused of connections to the [[Russian Mafia]], particularly mob boss [[Semion Mogilevich]].<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/semion-mogilevich-relationship-with-putin-2015-1%3famp Poisoned KGB Agent Said Putin Has A 'Good Relationship' With One Of The World's Top Mobsters], ''Business Insider''</ref> 
* In February 2017, Putin signed into law legislation decriminalizing several forms of domestic violence. The amount of domestic violence-related homicides in Russia increased significantly as a result.<ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/how-russias-decision-to-decriminalise-domestic-violence-is-continuing-to-kill-12250780 Russia's decriminalising of domestic violence means women continue to die], ''Sky News''</ref>
* During the [[2002 Moscow hostage crisis]], Putin's police employed poison gas which killed about 100 hostages<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2365383.stm Gas 'killed Moscow hostages'], ''BBC News''</ref> and shot and killed all 40 militants while they were unconscious. Putin subsequently attempted to cover up the truth about the incident, lying to the public about the gas used and the hostage's cause of death, and refused to investigate the crimes committed by the police during the raid.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20067384 Moscow theatre siege: Questions remain unanswered], ''BBC News''</ref>[[File:Ukrainian rescuers check the remains of a street in Chernigiv (cropped).jpg|thumb|Ukrainian rescuers check the remains of the 18th school of Chernigiv after shelling during Russian invasion of Ukraine]]
* Multiple international investigations, including a Dutch criminal trial, have held Putin's government responsible for the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people.<ref>[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/mh17-shot-down-by-missile-from-russia-by-its-military-report-finds/news-story/d3d MH17 evidence points to 'rogue state' Russia, Tony Abbott says], ''The Australian''</ref><ref>[https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2018/05/25/mh17-the-netherlands-and-australia-hold-russia-responsible MH17: The Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible], Government of the Netherlands</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/07/20/the-evidence-that-may-prove-pro-russian-separatists-shot-down-m The evidence that may prove pro-Russian separatists shot down MH17], ''The Washington Post''</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37495067 MH17 missile 'came from Russia', Dutch-led investigators say], ''BBC News''</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/17/three-men-found-guilty-of-murdering-298-people-in-flight-mh17-bombing Three men found guilty of murdering 298 people in shooting down of MH17], ''The Guardian''</ref> In 2023 an investigation team concluded that Putin had likely personally signed off on the decision to supply the missile that destroyed MH17.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64566297.amp MH17: Putin probably supplied missile that downed plane - investigators], ''BBC News''</ref>
* International observers have accused Putin of rigging Russian elections.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/10/11/russian-elections-once-again-had-a-suspiciously-neat-result Russian elections once again had a suspiciously neat result], ''The Economist''</ref>
* Intelligence agencies in the United States concluded that Russian agents, presumably led by Putin, have meddled in various elections (most notably the 2016 presidential election which was won by [[Donald Trump]]), although Putin has denied this and the claims are disputed.<ref name=Mueller/>
* He has also been accused of being a [[Pedophilia|pedophile]] by Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko, with Litvinenko claiming the existence of videotapes in the FSB Internal Security directorate depicting Putin having sex with underage boys, although these claims have never been substantiated.<ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1708835/putin-paedophile-alexander-litvinenko-spt?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target Putin accused of being a paedophile in explosive unearthed report from Litvinenko inquiry], ''The Daily Express''</ref>
** What fueled the credibility of this accusation was the fact that Putin, for unknown reasons, lifted the t-shirt of a random four- or five-year-old boy and kissed his stomach during a walkabout in a public square near the Kremlin.<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/alexander-litvinenko-putin-video-paedophile-7223902.amp Alexander Litvinenko: The Putin video and paedophile claims which may have triggered ex-spy's murder], ''The Daily Mirror''</ref>
* Despite Chechen President [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] being a Kremlin servant (like his father), Putin's administration has a history of [[Islamophobia|Islamophobic]] discrimination, having banned a lot of Islamic material as "extremist"<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/oct/08/russian-court-bans-quran-translation Russian court bans Qur’an translation], ''The Guardian''</ref> and ordered Muslim clerics arrested and allegedly tortured.<ref>[https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a099a644.html Russia: Muslim prisoner of conscience tortured], UNHCR</ref> The US State Department considers Russia to be a country without religious freedom.<ref>[https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/november/nigeria-russia-religious-freedom-countries-uscirf-cpc-list.html Nigeria Removed, Russia Added to US State Department’s Religious Persecution List], ''Christianity Today''</ref>
* In 2004, he refused to recognize the [[Ainu Wars|cultural genocide of the Ainu people]] committed by Japan after receiving a letter from an Ainu community residing in Kamchatka Krai.<ref>[http://kamtime.ru/old/archive/08_12_2004/13.shtml Камчатское Время]</ref>