Vladimir Putin has been sworn in for a fourth presidential term in a lavish Kremlin ceremony as tensions with the west rise and domestic discontent over poverty and wealth inequality simmers. State television began its live coverage of the inauguration on Monday with Putin, 65, apparently hard at work in his Kremlin office. With his hand on a gold-embossed copy of the Russian constitution, Putin swore to serve the Russian people faithfully. Revealed: UK’s push to strengthen anti-Russia alliance Read moreShortly after the inauguration, Putin put Dmitry Medvedev forward to continue as prime minister, a position he has held since 2012. “Putin said Russians will live better, but he didn’t say which ones,” read a popular online joke.

Source: The Guardian May 07, 2018 13:54 UTC