Vladimir Putin first gained power in 1999 when Russian President Boris Yeltsin appointed him Prime Minister. Putin was then elected President of Russia in 2000, only to be re-elected again in 2004. In 2008, he resigned and served as Prime Minister again, only to be re-elected President in 2012. In all his years of rule, Vladimir Putin he has proven to be a successful leader in Russia due to his economic policies, effective military reforms, and treatment of his people. Vladimir Putin has been a successful Russian leader thanks to his economic policies. After Putin took power, the economy grew by an average of 7% per year, with GDP growing by 75% (Novosti). This means that Russia managed to overcome the effects of the economic crisis of the 1990s, proving that Putin was successful. “Russia has become an energy superpower under Putin's rule. This is due to a policy in which the government controls a substantial part of the oil and gas sector” (Novosti). This shows that Putin was a successful leader because he helped the Russian economy triumph enough for Russia to become a superpower. Russia was also able to manage a lot of oil revenue under Putin's reign. It also established the Stabilization Fund (Novosti) in 2004. This shows that Putin was successful in his economic policies because the fund's profits helped pay off the Soviet Union's debt. Although it appears that Putin has helped the Russian economy, the inflation rate has increased and continues to increase during his reign (Boesler). When the inflation rate increases, more and more people begin to go hungry and even starve when buying food. If Putin allows food prices to rise, it should not be considered a su...... middle of paper......and media, April 21, 2014. Web. April 25, 2014.Motyl, Alexander. “Putin's Strategy: Good Cop, Bad Cop.” CNN. Cable News Network, January 01. 1970. Network. April 25, 2014. Preston, Bryon. “Feeling victorious in Crimea, Putin aims to cause trouble elsewhere.” PJ Tatler's RSS. NP, 19 March 2014. Web. 21 April 2014"Putin: in Russia all people are 'equal', in 70 other countries being gay is a crime." PolitiFact. Tampa Bay Times, January 19, 2014. Web. April 25, 2014. “The Russian Economy Under Vladimir Putin: Achievements and Failures.” RIA Novosti.Novosti, 3 January 2008. Web. 18 April 2014.Scarborough, Rowan. “Tactical Advantage: Russian Army Showcases Impressive NewGear.” Washington Times. The Washington Times, April 20, 2014. Web. April 24, 2014. Taylor, Adam. "Putin's approval rating reaches 80%." Washington Post. TheWashington Post, March 26, 2014. Web. April 25. 2014