* BrokenBase: Repressive dictator or great leader? [[OhCrap Or Both?]]
** You forgot crude street thug who schmoozed and murdered his way to the position of mobster-in-chief, then lucked out by cashing in on rising oil prices.
* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: [[ShootTheDog Shooting a tiger]] to save a group of people.
** Although it wouldn't be surprising to find out that the entire incident was staged.
*** Or even made up completely out of whole cloth, the media in Russia do stuff like that.
* EvilIsCool: The Man's basically a real-life [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist King Bradley]].
* MemeticBadass: The Internet in general and 4chan in particular has many a comic detailing how awesome he is. One such comic featured him decimating the entire US Army [[OneManArmy by himself]] after BarackObama declared war on Russia. He's also often characterized (in the West) as the closest thing RealLife will ever come to a genuine [[JamesBond Bond villain]]. Or perhaps Bond villains are the closest thing possible to a depiction of Putin.
* MemeticSexGod - Oh, God, where to begin...
** A comedian once fondled the tits of a thousand Russian women by claiming to have shaken hands with Putin and wanting to pass on the power. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNa7tNFB7c4&feature=player_embedded Seriously]].
** A Russian duo described the ideal man as such: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gncW1zqMFgs&feature=player_embedded he must be like Putin]].