Russia’s Vladimir Putin Sworn-In For Fourth Term In Office
Vladimir Putin has been inaugurated as the President of Russia for the fourth time, he will govern the affairs of his country until 2024.
The 64-year-old took oath at an official ceremony in the Grand Kremlin Palace in the capital, Moscow, on Monday, renewing another six-year term in office.
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Some 5,000 guests attended the lavish ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall.
Speaking at the ceremony, Putin said, “I consider it my duty and sense of my life to do everything for Russia for its present and future – for the peaceful and prosperous future – and the welfare of every Russian family.
“I can assure you the aim of my life, my work will be as before to serve the people and our motherland,” he added.
His inauguration took place two months after nearly 77% of voters backed him in a presidential election in which he had no serious challengers.
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His win was his biggest ever and the largest by a post-Soviet Russian leader, something he and his allies say gave him an unequivocal mandate to govern.
Russia’s main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was barred from standing in the election.
On Saturday, nearly 1,600 protesters including Navalny were detained during nationwide rallies against him, with the European Union, EU, condemning “police brutality and mass arrests”.
Putin’s Rise To Power
1952: Born 7 October in Leningrad (now St Petersburg), Russia’s second city, studies law and joins KGB secret police, serving as spy in communist East Germany.
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1990s: After serving as top aide to mayor of St Petersburg, enters Boris Yeltsin’s Kremlin in 1997, where he is made chief of the FSB (the KGB’s successor).
1999: Appointed prime minister, becomes acting president upon Yeltsin’s resignation.
2000: Elected president and serves two four-year terms.
2008: Barred from running for a third consecutive term, stuns analysts by returning to post of prime minister while his protege Dmitry Medvedev becomes president.
2012: Re-elected president and for term of six years, under new law.
2018: Re-elected for fourth term.
