Watch: Russian President Putin replies in fluent German to citizenship plea | World News

Putin’s formative years in East Germany

Putin’s fluency in German isn’t just a diplomatic asset — it’s rooted in his years as a KGB officer stationed in Dresden, East Germany, during the 1980s.

In the mid-1980s, Dresden became Putin’s first foreign posting. He and his wife Ludmila lived relatively comfortably there compared to life in the Soviet Union. Most of his job involved routine intelligence work and collaboration with the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police.

🇷🇺🇩🇪 President Putin responds in fluent German as a man asks for help getting Russian citizenship. pic.twitter.com/p2rdD37Gsg

— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) April 16, 2025

A critical moment came on December 5, 1989, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when protestors stormed KGB and Stasi buildings. Putin, confronted by an angry crowd outside the KGB office, warned that his colleagues were armed. Yet, when he requested help from Soviet military units, they responded, “We have no orders from Moscow.”

Social media reactions

While many praised Putin’s language skills, others were quick to point out the historical undercurrents behind the moment. One social media user noted:

“Putin speaks fluent German and he once had Angela Merkel on a state visit and refused to speak to her in German. He only spoke in Russian and it had to be translated.”

Another commented:

“Well, the KGB where Putin rose through the ranks was very active in East Germany while the Soviet Union was occupying Eastern Europe for decades before 1989. Fluency in German has a sinister side.”

Others speculated on the extent of Putin’s linguistic abilities:

“I can almost assure you that President Putin speaks over 6 languages.”

(With inputs from BBC)