Putler
neologism and portmanteau formed by merging the names of Putin and Hitler
Putler (Russian: Путлер), sometimes extended to Vladolf Putler (Владольф Путлер, pronounced [ˈvladəlʲf ˈputlʲɪr]), is a derogatory neologism and portmanteau formed by merging the names of Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler. Often used in the slogan "Putler Kaput!" (German: Putler kaputt!; Russian: Путлер Капут!) by people opposed to Putin, the term has a negative connotation.
Origin of the word
According to Russian linguist Boris Sharifullin, the word "Putler" was coined in Russia. According to French historian Marlène Laruelle, the word was coined by the Ukrainian press.
Use of the word
The word "Putler" became common among the opposition in Russia and in Ukraine. The use of the German-sounding slogan Putler Kaputt by Russians represents a change of language as a special play position, thus creating the effect that these words are being used by a foreign observer, while still using words that are understandable for Russians.
Domestic Russian protest movement
The slogan attracted fame—and legal problems in Russia in 2009. A participant at a rally organized by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation on 31 January 2009 in Vladivostok carried a placard reading "Putler kaput!" The rally was directed against new customs duties on the import of used cars. The Vladivostok prosecutor's office issued a warning to the regional committee of the party regarding this placard. The regional committee reacted by publishing the following text on its website:
The author of this slogan had in mind a specific person engaged in the auto business by the name of Putler, who came to an end due to the increase in duties on foreign cars: due to this circumstance, he lost his job, and hence the income with which he supported his large family.
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Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 29, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q85865182. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2009.
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This entry incorporates text from “Putler” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.