In a heartwarming video, Russian President Vladimir Putin reunited with his former German language teacher Vera Dmitriyevna Gurevich during a special evening in Moscow this week. In the video, Putin is seen greeting his elderly teacher with a bouquet of flowers and then the two share a hug. The video was shared by a user on X with a caption, "Russian TV has broadcast footage of Putin driving himself through central Moscow in a Russian Aurus SUV to pick up his former schoolteacher Vera Gurevich and bring her to a dinner at the presidential residence after Victory Day events." (sic)
Putin's gesture has captured the attention of people on social media and the incident has now gone viral for the emotional and human touch. Putin had invited his former teacher to attend the recently concluded Victory Day Parade. The video was shared by Kremlin. Vera Dmitriyevna Gurevich, 88, had an intense relationship with the Russian President during his years at school, according to Mirror.
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Putin takes out her ex teacher for dinner
The video shows Vladimir Putin spending time speaking privately with Vera Gurevich before taking her out for dinner, during which they reflected on shared memories from his school days. In another notable gesture, the Russian president personally escorted her and drove her to the Kremlin afterward, highlighting the respect and gratitude he reportedly continues to hold for his former German teacher from his childhood in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).
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"Trump works at MacDonalds, and Putin takes his former schoolteacher on a date," wrote one user. "How sweet. Putin is such a wonderful, compassionate man. Everything he does just makes me happy all over," wrote another.
Putin's early life in wartime
Vladimir Putin grew up in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during and after World War II and his family faced severe hardship during the blockade of the city. His parents lived in a crowded, poor-quality communal apartment, and his early childhood was shaped by post-war scarcity. His mother, Maria Ivanovna, reportedly survived extreme starvation during the blockade, at one point collapsing from hunger. She later regaining consciousness among bodies in the streets during the siege conditions. To make matters worse, Putin's two older brothers died in infancy during the wartime period in Leningrad, adding to the family’s early struggles.
Unable to sit, energetic
In her memoir “Vladimir Putin. Parents. Friends. Teachers,” Gurevich mentioned that a group of local “hooligan” children had a negative influence on the young Vladimir Putin during his early years. She described him at school as “very agile, restless, with overflowing energy,” noting that he struggled to sit still in class, often looking around at classmates’ notebooks and frequently bending down to pick up pens or pencils he dropped.
Gurevich also recalled that he was quick to get into fights, saying he would “claw himself into the offender, hang on him with his entire weight and grab him, fighting like a bulldog.”
How Putin changed due to Vera Gurevich's mentorship
In September 1964, Vera Gurevich visited the building where an 11-year-old Vladimir Putin lived to speak with him directly. She observed that he was often left alone during the day, returning home without parental supervision until the evening hours. She noted that he would sometimes manage on very little food during the day, despite meals being prepared at home. During their conversation, she advised him to focus on his studies and Putin reportedly replied that he could complete all his homework within an hour if he chose to.
Over time, a close relationship developed between them. He occasionally helped by babysitting her children when she was working late or when her husband was away, sometimes even staying overnight at their home. According to accounts, his academic performance improved during this period, and he later pursued higher education in law.
