Vladimir Zhirinovsky

Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky (Влади́мир Во́льфович Жирино́вский) (b. April 25, 1946) is a controversial Russian politician, and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

Long-time KGB operative. Speaks fluent Turkish.

There are rumours that he still works for Russian security service, his current mission the destruction of the credibility of right-wing parties in Russia through non-coherent radical talk, exposing them to ridicule. He advocates, a.o., the re-incorporation of the former Soviet republics and Alaska and Iran through the use of military force. He has also praised Adolf Hitler's rule and encouraged the use of nuclear weapons against possible adversaries.

Zhirinovsky allegedly praised the success of American presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.

He was born in Alma-Ata, in Kazakhstan, and was called until 1964 by his father's surname, 'Eidelstein' (Эйдельште́йн). He then studied languages, specifically, Turkish at Moscow University. He drifted into law during the 1980s, and in 1990 co-founded the Liberal Democratic Party, which claimed to be the first oppositon party of the Soviet Union. He got 8% of the vote in 1990 presidential elections.

After a successful parliamentary election that saw his party come in 3rd place, Zhirinovsky announced that he would challenge Vladimir Putin in the 2004 presidential election. He later withdrew from the race.