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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Medvedev becomes Russia's leader | Medvedev becomes Russia's leader |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Dmitry Medvedev has been inaugurated as Russia's third president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. | Dmitry Medvedev has been inaugurated as Russia's third president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| The Kremlin Palace ceremony was held in front of 2,400 invited guests. | |
| Mr Medvedev, 42, won a landslide victory in the March elections. The inauguration capped his sharp ascendance from obscurity. | |
| But while Vladimir Putin handed over the reigns of power, his central role in the ceremony reflected 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 | Grand ceremony |
| The inauguration ceremony was held in the Kremlin's magnificent St Andrew's Hall.Mr Putin urged Russians to support his successor | |
| It began with an honour guard bringing in the symbols of the presidential office. | It began with an honour guard bringing in the symbols of the presidential office. |
| Mr Putin then made a short speech, describing the handover of power as "a hugely important stage" for Russia. | Mr Putin then made a short speech, describing the handover of power as "a hugely important stage" for Russia. |
| He also urged Mr Medvedev to continue the policies he had been implementing for the past eight years, saying they proved to be "the correct ones". | |
| Mr Medvedev then took an oath on the Russian constitution. | Mr Medvedev then took an oath on the Russian constitution. |
| In a brief speech, he pledged to work for "a better" Russia. | |
| President Medvedev also thanked Mr Putin for his personal support, saying he hoped he would enjoy such backing in the future. | |
| The grand ceremony was 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. | |
| 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. |
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