Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin - Mother

Vladimir Putin’s mother, Maria Shelomova, was a very kind, benevolent person.

“We lived simply - cabbage soup, cutlets, pancakes, but on Sundays and holidays my Mom would bake very delicious stuffed buns [pirozhki] with cabbage, meat and rice, and curd tarts [vatrushki],” Mr Putin says.

His mother did not approve of his decision to do judo. “Every time I went to a practice session, she would grumble, ‘He’s off to his fights again.’” Things changed after Vladimir Putin’s coach visited his home and told his parents about what he did and what he achieved; the family’s attitude toward this sport changed.

Photo from Vladimir Putin’s personal archive

My mother baked some very delicious stuffed buns – with cabbage, meat and rice, — and curd tarts.

Vladimir Putin