Claim: Vladimir Putin was born in Russia.

Saint Petersburg -LRB- -LSB- Санкт-Петербу ́рг , a = Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg , r = Sankt-Peterburg , p = ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk -RSB- -RRB- is Russia 's second-largest city after Moscow , with five million inhabitants in 2012 , and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea . It is politically incorporated as a federal subject -LRB- a federal city -RRB- . Situated on the Neva River , at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea , it was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May . In 1914 , the name was changed from Saint Petersburg to Petrograd -LRB- -LSB- Петрогра́д , p =p ʲɪtrɐˈgrat -RSB- -RRB- , in 1924 to Leningrad -LRB- -LSB- Ленингра́д , p = lʲɪnʲɪnˈgrat -RSB- -RRB- , and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg . Between 1713 and 1728 and in 1732 -- 1918 , Saint Petersburg was the capital of imperial Russia . In 1918 , the central government bodies moved to Moscow .   Saint Petersburg is one of the modern cities of Russia , as well as its cultural capital . The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Saint Petersburg is home to The Hermitage , one of the largest art museums in the world .  Many foreign consulates , international corporations , banks , and businesses have offices in Saint Petersburg .