Vladimir Putin was sworn-in for his fifth term as Russian leader Tuesday, renewing his dominance over the country in a glittering Kremlin ceremony as his army advances in Ukraine at the height of Moscow’s worst confrontation with the West since the Soviet era.
Putin, 71, extended his rule in an effectively uncontested election in March, having crushed any political opposition and launched the invasion of Ukraine that set Russia on its path to unprecedented global isolation and domestic repression.
Having tightened his quarter-century grip on power, Putin placed his hand atop the Russian constitution at Tuesday’s ceremony and vowed to serve the Russian people. “We are a united and great people and together we will overcome all obstacles, realize all our plans. Together we will win!” he said after being sworn in before a grand hall filled with dignitaries.
The United States and many other Western countries boycotted the inauguration, which came just a day after Putin’s latest round of nuclear saber-rattling.
Russian state TV broadcast the one-hour ceremony live, accompanied by enthusiastic commentary, showing Putin walking out of his office in the Kremlin as he got into a car for a short drive to the ceremony as snow fell on Moscow.
He then walked the red carpet of the Kremlin’s historic halls to the applause of hundreds of guests, including cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and celebrities, including American actor Steven Seagal who has supported Putin for years.
The Russian leader stopped to shake a few hands before he took to the stage to renew his oath to the Russian people.
“I want to bow to our heroes, participants in the special military operation, everyone who is fighting for the Motherland,” Putin said, using the Kremlin’s term for his war in Ukraine.
As he vowed that Russians alone will determine the fate of the country, Putin — in power as either president or prime minister since 2000 — also said that Moscow was open to dialogue with Western governments, as long as they changed their approach.
“The choice is theirs: do they intend to continue trying to restrain the development of Russia, continue the policy of aggression, continuous pressure on our country for years, or look for a path to cooperation and peace,” he added. Putin has framed his invasion of Ukraine as part of an existential conflict with the West, which he blames for trying to subdue Russia’s might.
The inauguration is usually attended by dozens of foreign dignitaries, but the Kremlin has been engaged in a growing clash with the U.S. and European powers over the war in Ukraine.
Putin appeared to send a message to his foes the day before the inauguration, ordering drills simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Russia’s defense ministry said Monday that the drills, which will test the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to perform combat missions, was a response to “provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials against the Russian Federation.”
It appears to be a rebuke of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has spoken several times in recent months about the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also riled up the Kremlin last week when he told Reuters that Kyiv had the right to use British-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
The Russian leader has few remaining enemies to combat at home, but it’s expected he will carry out a government reshuffle after the ceremony.
All eyes will be on any changes in the positions of the prime minister, currently occupied by loyal technocrat Mikhail Mishustin, and defense minister, held by long-time ally Sergei Shoigu. The latter was hit by a recent corruption scandal involving one of his deputies and allies.
Analysts will also be watching closely for possible successors jockeying for position, though there’s no sign Putin intends to relinquish power.
He will soon match Soviet leader Josef Stalin as the country’s longest-serving modern ruler. Putin is eligible to run for another six-year term after his current tenure expires in 2030, when he will be 77.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
