Opinion: What is Putin's IQ? A Los Angeles columnist takes stock

Aleksandr Kuprin, a columnist based in Los Angeles, examines the achievements of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and reaches a damning conclusion about his intelligence and leadership record.

In a pointed opinion column, Los Angeles-based writer Aleksandr Kuprin turns a sharp analytical lens on [Vladimir Putin](/politicians/vladimir-putin), asking a provocative question: just how intelligent is Russia's long-ruling leader, when his actual track record is examined?

Kuprin argues that a closer look at Putin's legacy reveals a string of strategic failures — economic stagnation, international isolation, and a catastrophic military adventure in Ukraine — that paint a picture far removed from the strongman image the Kremlin has carefully cultivated over the decades.

The column takes particular aim at the gap between Putin's reputation as a shrewd geopolitical chess player and the measurable outcomes of his rule. Rather than cementing Russia's place as a global superpower, his decisions have accelerated the country's decline on virtually every meaningful metric.

For Kuprin, the verdict is devastating: when judged not by propaganda but by results, Putin's record speaks for itself — and the conclusion is far from flattering for the man who has held Russia in his grip for over two decades.