Dmitry Medvedev (born 14 September 1965 in Leningrad) is a Russian politician who served as President of Russia from 2008 to 2012 and Prime Minister from 2012 to 2020, and has been Deputy Chairman of the Security Council since 2020. His presidency was marked by a modernization program aimed at diversifying the economy, the signing of the New START nuclear arms treaty with the US, and the Russo-Georgian War, alongside an anti-corruption campaign that later saw him accused of corruption himself. After serving a single term, he was succeeded by Vladimir Putin, who then appointed him Prime Minister; Medvedev resigned in January 2020 to allow for sweeping constitutional changes, being replaced by Mikhail Mishustin and appointed to his current security role. Initially seen as more liberal than Putin, Medvedev has since adopted increasingly hawkish and anti-Western rhetoric, particularly around the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading observers to view this as an attempt to rebrand himself as a potential successor to Putin. Known for his intellectual curiosity as a child, he studied law at Leningrad State University before entering politics.