In Moscow, it's a major anniversary for one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in the world.
Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia 20 years ago today.
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On Aug. 9, 1999, President Boris Yeltsin appointed the little-known KGB spy and politician as the nation's prime minister.
He was confirmed by the Duma on Aug. 16, and he became acting president when Yeltsin resigned on Dec. 31 that year. He went on to win his first election on March 26, 2000.
When he was reelected in 2004, it was a landslide victory with more than 70 percent of the vote.
Constitutional limits prevented Putin from running for a third term in 2008, so he reverted to the prime minister role while serving for his friend President Dmitry Medvedev.
In 2012, Putin was again eligible to run for the presidency directly and won with over 60 percent of the vote.
His landslide reelection again in 2018 keeps him in power until 2024.