Russian President Vladimir Putin is Forbes' most powerful person in the world for the third year in a row.
"Putin continues to prove he's one of the few men in the world powerful enough to do what he wants –- and get away with it," Forbes wrote in its justification for choosing the 63-year-old leader.
Not even international sanctions over his seizure of Crimea, his proxy war in eastern Ukraine, a stumbling Ruble and an ailing economy can keep the leader down, the magazine said.
Through all of this, Putin's approval ratings skyrocketed to an all-time high of 89%, spawning a cult of personality. In October, he launched a campaign of airstrikes in Syria, asserting Moscow's influence in the Middle East. He then clandestinely whisked to Moscow President Bashar al-Assad for a face-to-face and the dictator's first trip abroad since 2011, a move meant to embarrass the U.S and NATO in the region.
The Russian president beat out German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Barack Obama, who came in second and third respectively.
This year's Forbes list marks the first time a sitting U.S. president did not finish in one of the top two spots.
Pope Francis, in the wake of his historic six-day visit to the U.S. in September, where he addressed Congress and the United Nations, urging actions on climate change, immigration, and the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, remained in the fourth position on the list.
Following him is China's president, Xi Jinping, who Forbes said has fought harder than his predecessors against corruption.
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton appears on the list in the 58th spot, while her contender Donald Trump sits in 72nd on the 73-person ranking.
Forbes' list is based on several factors, such as wealth, spheres of influence and each person's ability to wield their power.