This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7386940.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Medvedev to become Russian leader | Medvedev to become Russian leader |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Dmitry Medvedev is being inaugurated as Russia's third president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. | Dmitry Medvedev is being inaugurated as Russia's third president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| The Kremlin Palace ceremony is being held in front of 2,400 invited guests. | The Kremlin Palace ceremony is being held in front of 2,400 invited guests. |
| Mr Medvedev, 42, won a landslide victory in the March elections. The inauguration will cap his sharp ascendance from obscurity. | Mr Medvedev, 42, won a landslide victory in the March elections. The inauguration will cap his sharp ascendance from obscurity. |
| But while Vladimir Putin is handing over the reigns of power, his central role in the ceremony will reflect the part he has to play in Russia's future. | But while Vladimir Putin is handing over the reigns of power, his central role in the ceremony will reflect the part he has to play in Russia's future. |
| Mr Putin, 55, was barred by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term in the March polls. | Mr Putin, 55, was barred by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term in the March polls. |
| However, analysts suggest he will remain a pivotal figure in Mr Medvedev's administration after he assumes his new post of prime minister, possibly as early as Thursday. | However, analysts suggest he will remain a pivotal figure in Mr Medvedev's administration after he assumes his new post of prime minister, possibly as early as Thursday. |
| Grand ceremony | |
| The inauguration ceremony is being held in the Kremlin's magnificent St Andrew's Hall. Mr Putin (R) will stay close to the heart of power as prime minister | |
| It began with an honour guard bringing in the symbols of the presidential office. | |
| Although brief, the inauguration is not being under-stated: with the Russian flag, presidential standard and a copy of the country's constitution being borne aloft into to the hall where Mr Putin is making a speech before handing Mr Medvedev the chain of office. | |
| The grand ceremony is the expression of a new confidence that oil- and gas-rich Russia now feels, correspondents say. | |
| Lengthy partnership | Lengthy partnership |
| Having campaigned as Mr Putin's protege and tied himself to his mentor's policies as soon as his victory became known, analysts say it is no surprise that Mr Putin will continue to play a central role. | Having campaigned as Mr Putin's protege and tied himself to his mentor's policies as soon as his victory became known, analysts say it is no surprise that Mr Putin will continue to play a central role. |
| An economic liberal, Mr Medvedev has served Mr Putin as first deputy prime minister, chairman of Gazprom - Russia's enormous state-run gas monopoly, campaign chief and chief of staff. | An economic liberal, Mr Medvedev has served Mr Putin as first deputy prime minister, chairman of Gazprom - Russia's enormous state-run gas monopoly, campaign chief and chief of staff. |
| But his working relationship with the spy-come-president goes back much further. | But his working relationship with the spy-come-president goes back much further. |
| A lawyer by training, in the 1990s Mr Medvedev was an assistant professor at St Petersburg State University, during which time he became an expert consultant for the city's mayor - one Vladimir Putin. | A lawyer by training, in the 1990s Mr Medvedev was an assistant professor at St Petersburg State University, during which time he became an expert consultant for the city's mayor - one Vladimir Putin. |
| And, analysts suggest, their partnership looks set to continue. | And, analysts suggest, their partnership looks set to continue. |
| But the question of who wields the real power in the Kremlin will continue to fascinate , puzzle and perplex, the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says. | But the question of who wields the real power in the Kremlin will continue to fascinate , puzzle and perplex, the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says. |
| Mr Putin will remain Russia's most popular politician for the foreseeable future, which will give him huge influence over the man he mentored as his successor, our correspondent says. | Mr Putin will remain Russia's most popular politician for the foreseeable future, which will give him huge influence over the man he mentored as his successor, our correspondent says. |
| The Kremlin's lack of tolerance for dissenters was highlighted on Tuesday as police detained dozens of would-be protestors in advance of a planned rally by The Other Russia, an opposition group led by world chess champion Garry Kasparov. | The Kremlin's lack of tolerance for dissenters was highlighted on Tuesday as police detained dozens of would-be protestors in advance of a planned rally by The Other Russia, an opposition group led by world chess champion Garry Kasparov. |