We love Putin: Meet the Russian president's teenage fan club

Fan clubs are big business all over the world. Members spend millions on merchandise and trips to conventions, where they unite under the collective glow of adoration for anything from Star Trek to sausages. But in the suburbs of Moscow a group of fresh-faced students in bright orange T-shirts can claim to be part of one of the world's most unusual appreciation societies.

As they have an average age of about 18, it would be reasonable to imagine the object of their devotion to be a boy band or a hot new film star, but the 1,500 members of the VV Fan Club have a more heavyweight idol – the Russian president, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Seen here in a series of revealing portraits by the Hungarian photographer Bela Doka, the teenage members of the VV fan club idolise their president as a saviour – not, as many both inside and outside Russia believe, a growing threat to democracy and global stability.

The club's founder, Igor Boiko, a 19-year-old social-work student at the Russian State Social University, says: "We want to draw people's attention to the positive aspects of VV's presidency ... He stopped the war in Chechnya and outlined the most important problems facing the country, many of which have been solved with visible results."

Many of the female members of the group, which has 450 activists in Moscow, venerate the clean-living, strong and strangely handsome president as a father figure, or even the ideal husband. "He is a perfect politician, sportsman and family man!" gushes Vika Matorina, 18.

Doka recently spent two weeks with the VV fan club and was surprised by the level of support for Putin, whose image appears on posters above the students' beds, on badges, and superimposed over the Russian tricolore hanging next to makeshift shrines. "They spend hours chatting on the internet and even go to university wearing Putin T-shirts," he says. "I was really shocked at how they could feel such intense love for him. It's like they have nothing in common with reality."

Since his rapid ascent to the Kremlin in 1999, Putin stands accused by observers in and outside Russia of stifling press freedom, eroding democracy, abusing his country's huge energy clout and fostering a disturbing rise in nationalism. But none of that concerns the devotees of the VV fan club, who have childhood memories of a poorer Russia under the beleaguered Boris Yeltsin.

Largely unknown to Russians before he came to power, Putin gained huge popular support thanks to his tough treatment of rebel Chechen guerrillas and his approval rating – currently standing at around 80 per cent – has continued to climb as the economy recovers from the chaos of the 1990s. Recent accusations surrounding the murder in London of the dissident former-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko appear to be of little concern.

For the members of the fan club, Putin, a former KGB spy and Judo blackbelt himself, is irreplaceable – and many of their low-key demonstrations call for a change to the Russian constitution, which demands that he step down next year after a maximum two terms in office.

"They were quite a small group," says Doka, who accompanied the fan club on a protest, "and I really had the feeling most of them were not that serious about politics. But at the same time, I was thinking it was frightening, because these people represent the future of Russia."

Yulia Minazhetdinova, 17, student at Russian State Social University

I really like Vladimir Vladimirovich [VV] Putin. He comes across as a nice man. I'm grateful to him for ending the war in Chechnya and for paying off a lot of our foreign debt. He has raised pensions and social allowances and improved the city of Moscow. My fascination with VV has given me a better understanding of politics. For example, after the fan club's protest at the Georgian embassy, I understood the nature of our relationship with Georgia and why we have a conflict. My parents are against my hobby. They say I don't understand politics but I disagree. Putin is my hero, he inspires me, adds meaning to my actions. I aspire to be like him.

Tanya Skoropistseva, 20, foreign languages student at the Russian Academy of Education, and Lyosha Sobolkov, 18, economics student at the Modern Humanitarian Academy

Tanya: My friends invited me to join the youth movement Walking Together and it got me interested in Putin's personality and policies. At first he left me unimpressed but then I realised what he had done. If he hadn't changed Russian politics, we'd still be a cheap labour force. He said that Russia is an important country and can't be a doormat. I have T-shirts with "I Want Putin" printed on them – and I'd like to knit a jumper in the colours of the Russian flag with his portrait. I also want my husband to be like Putin.

Lyosha: I have been in the fan club for one year and have been interested in politics since I was 16. Putin has done a lot of good for Russia; he has raised the quality of life and I personally feel it. For example, in the Nineties, nobody travelled much but now it's affordable. That's the president's achievement. I have Putin T-shirts, pins, pictures, stickers and many posters. I have a mug too. I want to have wallpaper with his image in my room.

Roman, 18, first-year student at Russian State Humanitarian University

I've been a member of the club since it was founded in February 2006. I think that Putin is the best president for Russia and I respect him as a person. He is the face of Russia, representing us on the world stage. All members of the club are interviewed to make sure they are really interested in VV Putin. They are all worthy representatives of young generations, and every day our lives are filled with activities. I think ours is the first fan club for politicians. We have a meeting every Friday where we discuss what is happening in our president's political and personal life. His actions are precise; he has planned them thoroughly and has lead Russia out of the crisis of the 1990s. We know that he goes to judo school; he's not obsessed with one single goal. He is respected in the world. It is for this reason that we decided to gather a fan club of people who love him, because there are so many of those who see him as a role model.

Nadya Toporivskaya, 21, nurse at medical college

I've been interested in Putin since I was six. I liked him as a man, as a leader of the country, and as a sportsman. He inspired me to take up judo. Putin restored order to the country and stopped the war in Chechnya. At his many conferences he is never afraid to point out who are our friends and who are our enemies. He admits that we have problems with low pensions and salaries, but says he will solve them. He doesn't ignore problems. I admire the fact that he says wise things and that he is so strong-willed. He looks like a very determined man. I get news about him from the Kremlin website and watch his speeches on TV. Putin is the symbol of a strong Russia.

Lena, 19, third-year philology student at Moscow State Pedagogical University

I really like the fact that Putin works on relations with other countries. And now our life is more streamlined and structured. I like it that Putin completes everything he starts. He is also a very multi-faceted person: he does judo and goes fishing and skiing. I think he is a good role model for young people. He has two daughters of my age and is a family man who is friendly with everyone. I want him to stay for a third term because no one else will be able to maintain stability in the country; only he will be able to go on with the political course that he has started. Four more years of such intensive development and we'll reach the level of life of European countries, while keeping our traditions too.

Igor Boiko, 19, founder of the fan club and first-year social-work student at Russian State Social University

We support the president with our actions and we want to gather people together. Putin has done so much and there is even more to be done. He has to be given a chance to strengthen his position and remain for a third term, and we want to speak about it publicly. Our actions are either linked to a certain event or designed to draw attention to our fan club. Our activities aim to increase the level of political activity among young people and to express our feelings towards the president.

I study at the Social University and I'm drawn to politics. My interest helps me develop my organisation and communication skills, which will be very useful in the future.

Yulya Pipilova, 18, entering Moscow State University of Culture to study culture and entertainment management

I have five different T-shirts with Putin's portrait on them, and several kinds of postcard which also have VV's face on them: we design them and print them for everyone. The aim of our last action was to show that we weren't happy that VV didn't want to change the Russian constitution and stay on for the third term. I want a husband who'd be like Vladimir Vladimirovich.

Tanya Arkhipova, 18, orthodontics student at Moscow Regional Medical College

I first noticed Putin in 2000. Although I was only 11, I clearly understood that something was wrong with Yeltsin. And when a new person came in, I became interested in his personality and politics.

I like the way Putin treats his wife and children; I think that he's a great husband. He has also made people respect Russia. Life is more stable, pensions and benefits are rising, and there's overall development. Putin's successor should continue the course that VV has chosen.

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