Vladimir Putin has stated that the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 caused such economic damage that he was forced to work as a driver to supplement his income.
Putin characterized the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the collapse of historical Russia, claiming that it forced many Russians to seek new sources of income.
The strongman’s remarks come as Russia amasses more than 90,000 troops on its border with Ukraine (a former Soviet republic), raising fears of an invasion.
Russia denies this, accusing Ukraine of provocation and requesting guarantees against Nato expansion to the east.
Putin’s comments are from a documentary film titled Russia, Latest History, which aired on Sunday, December 12.
“It was a disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union,” he said, adding that in the West it was believed that the further disintegration of Russia was only a matter of time.
Putin views the collapse as a tragedy and talks for the first time about his personal difficulties at the time.
“Sometimes I had to earn extra money,” he said.
“I mean, earn extra money by car, as a private driver. It’s unpleasant to talk about to be honest, but unfortunately that was the case.”
Taxis were scarce in Russia in the early 1990s, so many people with cars would give strangers rides to make ends meet. Some would even take taxis in work vehicles such as ambulances.
Prior to entering politics, Putin worked for the Soviet spy agency, the KGB.
He worked in the office of St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak in the early 1990s. He maintains that he resigned from the KGB following the August 1991 coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, which resulted in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
