Little Vova:
— Miss Ivanova, when I grow up and become president, you’ll be ashamed that you gave me bad grades.
Teacher:
— Putin, stop fooling around!
Commentary
This joke works as a retroactive satire. In Soviet and post‑Soviet humor, “Little Vova” often represents mischievous children who later become figures of authority. The punchline reveals that the cheeky boy is actually young Putin, turning a classroom quip into political irony. The humor comes from the contrast between childish mischief and the weight of future power.
Russian Original
Вовочка: — Марья Ивановна, вот я вырасту, стану президентом, вам будет стыдно, что вы мне двойки ставили.
— Путин, не паясничай!
Transliteration
Vovochka:
— Mar’ya Ivanovna, vot ya vyrastu, stanu prezidentom, vam budet stydno, chto vy mne dvoiki stavili.
Uchitelnitsa:
— Putin, ne payasnichay!