Just in: Vladimir Putin sworn in for record fifth term as Russian president

Vladimir Putin began his fifth term as Russian leader on Tuesday at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out for another six years in office.

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.

“We are a united and great people, and together we will overcome all obstacles, realize all our plans, and together we will win,” Putin said after being sworn in.

Since succeeding President Boris Yeltsin in the waning hours of 1999, Putin has transformed Russia from an economic collapse to a pariah state that threatens global security.

The West has heavily sanctioned Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which has become Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, and it is now looking to other regimes like China, Iran, and North Korea for support.

According to Persecondnews, his first two terms in office spanned four years.

However, constitutional amendments later extended the presidential term to six years.

Putin won the presidential elections in March, receiving 87.17 percent of the votes after processing 70 percent of the electoral protocols.

Putin’s first six-year presidential term began in 2012, followed by the second in 2018.

The Constitution underwent a change in 2020, enabling Putin to contest for president in 2024.