Video footage of a somewhat uncharacteristic Vladimir Putin, adorned in a casual shell suit with a notably longer hairstyle, has recently come to light, shedding light on a period during the early 1990s.
The Finnish broadcaster YLE obtained this previously unreleased amateur film from an anonymous source. The video was captured on a May Day holiday shortly after Putin, then around 40 years old and a KGB officer, had taken on an advisory role for Anatoly Sobchak, the Mayor of St Petersburg at that time.
In this rare glimpse, Putin and Sobchak engage in a game of table tennis against the mayor’s security personnel. At one point, Putin displays an uncharacteristic smile and frequently scratches his neck.
Later in the footage, the group embarks on a fishing expedition. While Putin appears to be aware of the camera’s presence, he keeps his back turned to it while the others onshore shout animatedly.
Upon their return, the video shows Putin’s then-wife, Lyudmila, skillfully cleaning a pike, which they caught during their fishing trip. Their two daughters, Maria and Katerina, are also visible in the scenes. The footage further captures Putin trying his hand at darts.
This film was recorded at a corporate hospitality villa owned by the Finnish company Thomesto, which specialized in timber imports from Russia. Situated on the island of Torsö, in Raseborg, approximately 60 miles west of Helsinki along Finland’s southern coast.
Putin returned to Leningrad, which is now St Petersburg, in 1990 after completing a five-year tenure as a KGB intelligence officer in the East German city of Dresden. He then joined Sobchak’s team and assumed the role of head of the committee on external relations, overseeing trade agreements and foreign investments.
It is worth noting that allegations of corruption against Putin began to surface during this period. Putin maintains that he resigned from the KGB in August 1991 in protest against its failed coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev. According to YLE’s undisclosed source, Putin acknowledged his previous association with the intelligence agency during the visit.
The source described Lyudmila Putin as “very pleasant” and noted that Putin did not engage in the typical camaraderie involving alcohol and cigarettes. He was known for his restraint in these matters.
The video footage portrays the group enjoying a leisurely meal indoors, complete with beer and wine. Sobchak presides at the head of the table, while Putin can be seen consuming his food with apparent gusto. During this meal, when Sobchak is served a sizable portion of meat, Putin humorously remarks on the introduction of the market economy in Russia following the collapse of communism.
According to YLE’s source, Putin was rather reticent during his time at the Raseborg villa, posing just one significant question: What would happen if “one and a half million Russians” were to cross the border into Finland? At the time, Russia was grappling with severe food and supply shortages.
During the 1990s, Putin made frequent visits to Finland. However, his subsequent appearances as Russia’s Prime Minister and President have been marked by meticulous control and a carefully crafted image. YLE’s analysis suggests that the video paints a starkly different picture from the prevailing perception of Putin as a strong, authoritarian leader.