In 1939, Churchill famously called Russia, “… a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”

Vladimir Putin takes that famous quote and elevates it to a whole new level. He has been in power since 1999 (He was Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000 becoming Acting President on 31 December 1999, when Yeltsin resigned). The term limit was, at the time, two consecutive terms of four years. However, in 2008, Medvedev was installed as a puppet president while Putin yielded all power through the office of Prime Minister. One of the first acts, “by Medvedev”, was to increase the term limit to two consecutive terms of six years to begin at the end of his presidency. In 2012, Putin regained the presidency this time for his second tenure, first term, of six years. He is due for re-election in 2018—can there be any doubt as to the result of that election which will put Putin in power again until 2024?

What would you call a politician who has remained in power for eighteen years, so far, despite an original term limit of eight years—a dictator, perhaps?