Putin sworn in for the fifth time ahead of government reshuffle; West boycotts inauguration

Vladimir Putin was sworn in on Tuesday as Russia’s president for the fifth time in his political career.

Putin’s allies heaped praise on the strongman leader ahead of the inauguration ceremony in the Kremlin, saying society is consolidated around the president, who first took office 24 years ago.

The Russian government will resign after the ceremony and a reshuffle will take place in the next few days and weeks. Close followers of Russian politics will be looking to see which allies — several of whom have been in ministerial posts for many years — he will keep close and who will be demoted.

Western nations boycotted the ceremony in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with the U.S. and U.K. among the countries refusing to send diplomats to the inauguration.