Putin has been a ardent supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has led to its return to prominence since the Revolution. In turn, the church has also provided some of the intellectual and cultural backing for Putin’s vision for Russia and the wider Russian sphere of influence. Putin was born in Leningrad – a city that reverted its original saint’s name of St Petersburg in 1991 – to an atheist father and devout Christian mother, who baptised him in secret. Vladimir Putin identifies as Russian Orthodox Christian. Learn about what religion is putin, his faith journey, and how it influences Russia's leadership. What does Russian President Vladimir Putin believe about God? That’s a fascinating question the world can’t answer “with any certainty,” according to Mark Tooley, president of The Institute on Religion and Democracy. After all, there’s a difference between what Putin says and what he does — and there’s strangely a great deal of uncertainty and confusion intermingled with both.
