
Photo by Dmitry Astakhov, / AP
Vladimir Putin takes the oath of office during his inauguration as Russia's president at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Monday. Putin will be serving his third term as president, after four years as prime minister and two previous presidential terms.

Photo by Denis Sinyakov / Reuters /Landov
Riot police detain an opposition supporter during an anti-Putin protest in Moscow on Monday. Tens of thousands of people — mostly young Russians — turned out in protest against Putin on Sunday and Monday.
Originally published on Tue May 8, 2012 8:26 am
Vladimir Putin is once again the president of Russia.
Putin, who held the job from 2000 to 2008, spent the past four years as prime minister because the Russian Constitution prohibits a third consecutive term.
So his hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, held the office for the past four years. Now they are switching places, with Putin returning as president and Medvedev tapped to be the prime minister.
Putin's inauguration took place Monday in the ornate halls of the Kremlin. In a speech, he said he was committed to democracy and constitutional rights — just the areas where those who have taken to recent street protests believe Putin comes up short.
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