Putin’s next six years in power spell more repression for Russia

Amidst the golden splendour of the Kremlin’s Hall of the Order of St Andrew, Vladimir Putin was once again inaugurated as president of Russia this morning. But while today’s event was in many ways a carbon copy of the ceremony that has taken place five times now since 2000, it marks a significant watershed in the history of Putin’s rule: for the first time since assuming power 24 years ago, his leadership can no longer be considered constitutionally legal.

Technicalities such as this, though, matter little to Putin. Taking to the podium in the hall that once served as the throne room to the Tsars of Russia, Putin placed his hand on a specially-bound copy of the Russian constitution. Giving the oath, he swore ‘to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, to respect and defend the constitution of the Russian Federation, to protect the sovereignty and independence, security and integrity of the state, to faithfully serve the people’.