Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for his fifth term in Moscow on Tuesday.
Putin was sworn in two months after he was re-elected in a vote that was widely seen as neither free nor fair.
He received 87 percent of the vote in March’s presidential election, which was overshadowed by widespread allegations of fraud, coercion and irregularities.
He faced no credible opposition after his main challenger was barred from running.
The 71-year-old took the oath of office in a ceremony in the Kremlin, with several thousand people including senior Russian politicians and other high-ranking guests in attendance.
Live coverage of the inauguration on Russian television showed Putin being driven to the Grand Kremlin Palace in a Russian-made Aurus limousine before observing a parade by the Kremlin Regiment.
He then swore an oath to protect the rights of Russia’s citizens and to defend its constitution.
Putin, who has dominated Russian politics for a quarter of a century, was only allowed to run for re-election again as a result of constitutional changes he pushed through in 2020.
His new six-year term will run until 2030 when he will be 77 years old.
In a speech after the ceremony, Putin said his re-election proved Russian citizens believed in his leadership and supported his policies, including the invasion of Ukraine he launched more than two years ago.
He said: “Russia is not refusing dialogue with the West,” but stated that the country would choose its path, including in Ukraine.
The post Putin sworn in for 5th term as Russian president appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
