Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How long did Vladimir Putin serve in the KGB?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
KGB
Director of the Soviet secret police Lavrenty Beria.
Vladimir Putin served for 15 years as a foreign intelligence officer for the KGB (Committee for State Security). During this tenure, he spent six years stationed in Dresden, East Germany. He retired from active service in 1990 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.1