Vladimir Putin began his fifth term on Tuesday, May 7, as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Already in office for nearly a quarter-century and the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin, Putin’s new term doesn’t expire until 2030, when he will be constitutionally eligible to run again. At the ceremony inside the gilded Grand Kremlin Palace, Putin placed his hand on the Russian Constitution and vowed to defend it as a crowd of hand-picked dignitaries looked on.
He spoke about his invasion of Ukraine and the future of Russia, describing the current situation as "difficult." "We will pass through this difficult period with dignity and become even stronger," Putin said, adding: "We are a united and great nation, and together we will overcome all obstacles, realize everything we have planned, and together, we will win."
The Russian leader said he considers leading the country a "sacred duty" as he was inaugurated for a fifth Kremlin term, prolonging his more than two-decade rule. "Serving Russia is a huge honor, responsibility and sacred duty," the 71-year-old said.
Russian opposition figure Yulia Navalnaya called Putin a "liar, a thief (and) a murderer" shortly before his inauguration on Tuesday. "Our country is being led by a liar, a thief and a murderer. But this will definitely come to an end," Navalnaya, who lives in exile, said in a video. Navalnaya said that Putin's latest term was marked by a "war that is bloody and senseless" in Ukraine and political repression in Russia.
"There are several hundred political prisoners in Russia enduring inhumane conditions," she said. "New cases are being opened every day." Navalnaya said Putin's "promises" to improve living standards during his over two-decade rule have been "empty and deceitful." "It has been going on for 25 years. It will be the same this time," she said. "With each of his terms, everything only gets worse, and it's frightening to imagine what else will happen while Putin remains in power."
Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her husband Alexei Navalny, Putin's main opponent who died in an Arctic prison in February.