Vladimir Putin drove a taxi after fall of Soviet Union

Russian President Vladimir Putin drove a taxi to boost his income following the fall of the Soviet Union, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported on Sunday.

In a documentary film, RIA-Novosti quoted the Russian leader as saying: “Sometimes I had to earn extra money.”

“I mean, earn extra money by car, as a private driver. It’s unpleasant to talk about to be honest but, unfortunately, that was the case.”

Putin said the collapse of the USSR spelled the end of “historical Russia.”

He has previously lamented its disintegration three decades ago, saying it remains a “tragedy” for “most citizens.”

The end of the Soviet Union brought with it a period of severe economic instability that plunged millions into poverty, as newly independent Russia evolved from communism to capitalism.