- Putin officially begins his fifth presidential term on Tuesday
- During his 24 years in power, Putin has sought to restore Russia's power and dominance in neighboring countries
- It remains to be seen whether S. Lavrov will be Foreign Minister again
- The French Ambassador will attend the presidential inauguration
- V. Putin begins a six-year term with more power than ever
Putin officially begins his fifth presidential term on Tuesday
Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost a quarter of a century, crushing the opposition and intensifying confrontation with the West, officially begins his fifth term in office on Tuesday.
He is due to be sworn in for another six-year term after winning elections in March that were criticized by observers abroad as unfree and rigged.
Putin, 71, is expected to take the oath at a ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, attended by senior Russian politicians and guests.
During his 24 years in power, Putin has sought to restore Russia's power and dominance in neighboring countries
Russian forces are currently continuing the war with Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
In the March elections, he received 87% of the vote. To stay in power, Putin rewrote the Russian constitution several years ago. After his current term, which ends in 2030, the constitution allows Putin to run for another term and rule until 2036 when he will be 83 years old.
Traditionally, in Russia, after the president's inauguration, the government resigns so that the Head of State can form a new cabinet of ministers. According to information from the Duma, the Russian parliament, lawmakers could approve the appointment of new ministers by 15 May.
It remains to be seen whether S. Lavrov will be Foreign Minister again
Political analysts are waiting to see whether Sergei Lavrov, 74, who has been Foreign Minister for 20 years, will be reappointed. There is also speculation about the future of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, whose chief deputy, Timur Ivanov, was recently arrested and charged with corruption.
V. Putin's inauguration will be broadcast live on most of Russia's main TV channels from around midday when a luxury motorcade will bring him to the Kremlin's Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. On arrival, he will walk through the palace corridors to the magnificent St. Andrew's Hall, where he will take the presidential oath and briefly address the Russian people.
The French Ambassador will attend the presidential inauguration
Government officials and foreign diplomats have been invited to attend the ceremony, including the French Ambassador Pierre Levy, who is expected to attend. Other European countries, including Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, have announced that they will not send representatives amid tensions over the war in Ukraine.
The inauguration will take place two days before Victory Day, celebrated in Russia on 9 May, which has taken on a new symbolic meaning as Putin compares the offensive in Ukraine with Russia's fight against Nazi Germany during World War II.
Before both events, the authorities set up roadblocks throughout the city center of Moscow.
V. Putin begins a six-year term with more power than ever
He has gained confidence from progress on the battlefield in Ukraine and sustained economic growth despite Western sanctions.
On the domestic front, he faced a mutiny last June by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, who later died in a plane crash, and the death in prison in February of his main political rival, Alexei Navalny. His victory in March means that he is likely to become Russia's longest-serving ruler in a century, surpassing Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Last year, the Russian army held off a long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive and has since reinforced its positions on the front lines, with Kyiv short of ammunition and soldiers. However, with the war now in its third year and the Russian economy moving towards overheating, Putin will face major challenges in his fifth term. Inflation, which is the biggest source of discontent among the Russian population, is not abating and Moscow is spending billions on the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has also failed to quell fears that another round of unpopular mobilization will be announced during Putin's new term, and the discontent of the wives of men sent to war continues to smolder.
Based on ELTA reports
