About 1,700 people were present at the inauguration ceremony, which was held in the Kremlin. Journalists, however, were not allowed to be present at the inauguration ceremony.

Putin’s first presidential term expires today. He won the presidential elections on March 14, when 71.31 percent voted to support his candidature. The turnout was 64.39 percent.

After taking the oath of office the newly elected president addressed Russian citizens with his speech. “The primary responsibility of the president is to work for the people and to preserve the state,” he declared in the speech after the inauguration ceremony. Putin expressed his gratitude to those, who had supported him on March 14. The president has promised to work “actively openly and honestly” and to do his best to justify people’s trust. “Only free people in a free country can be successful, and this is a basis for a political stability in our country,” Putin emphasized. ”Russian authorities will contribute to the rights and liberties of Russian people,” he added. He also promised that retired people and veterans would have substantial social benefits.

It is worth mentioning that the incumbent government is to be dismissed in accordance with the Russian Constitution. The Russian President is supposed not to reshuffle the government once more. Putin called this procedure “a technical one” while naming Mikhail Fradkov to the post of Prime Minister of Russia. However, Russian lawmakers are to consider the candidate to the post of Prime Minister again.