Vladimir Putin thanks soldiers ‘fighting for motherland’ as he is inaugurated for fifth time
Vladimir Putin has thanked soldiers “fighting for our motherland” in Ukraine – as he was sworn in as Russian president for a fifth time.
At a ceremony in the gilded Grand Kremlin Palace, Mr Putin placed his hand on the Russian constitution and vowed to defend it as a crowd of hand-picked dignitaries looked on.
An artillery salute marked the end of the official presidential inauguration, and as he left the palace to the sound of the Russian national anthem, a round of applause erupted from those in the audience.
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin claims he could work with West
Mr Putin places his hand on the constitution. Pic: Kremlin.ru/Reuters
Tuesday’s inauguration marks the start of another six years at the top for Mr Putin, 71.
He is already the Kremlin’s longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin, having been in power for nearly two-and-a-half decades – 20 years as president, four as prime minister.
By the end of this term, only Catherine the Great will be ahead of him – she ruled Russia way back in the 18th century.
His new term does not expire until 2030, when he will be constitutionally eligible to run again.
When he succeeded Boris Yeltsin in 1999, Russia was emerging from economic collapse.
Under his leadership, most notably since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the country has become a pariah state that threatens global security, reliant on regimes like China, Iran and North Korea for support.
Russia’s enormous advantage in resources has gradually turned the tide in Ukraine in Moscow’s favour, but both sides have been suffering heavy casualties.
Following his widely-anticipated re-election in March, Mr Putin suggested a confrontation between NATO and Russia was possible, and he declared he wanted to carve out a buffer zone in Ukraine to protect his country from cross-border attacks.
The ceremony took place at the gilded Grand Kremlin Palace
With major changes at home and abroad over the past two years, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the circumstances do not make it more important to give the public the right to speak out.
“It needs tougher measures to ensure the victory, to ensure that we reach our goals,” he told Sky News, when asked if Russians should not have more say during a war.
He insisted that is a democratic stance in “the same circumstances Western media exists in Europe and the US” and denied Mr Putin has made the country a dictatorship.
“This is not the case absolutely, absolutely, it’s just propaganda, it’s rough propaganda, nothing else,” he added.
“So, we are living in our country, in our own environment and it’s purely democratic. We choose our power. We elect our power. We elect our president.”
Pic: Reuters
As the country’s economy remains on a war footing, analysts say that, with another term in office secured, the Kremlin could take the unpopular steps of raising taxes to fund the war and pressure more men to join the military.
The repression that has characterised Mr Putin’s time in office continued when his greatest political foe, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic penal colony in February.
Mr Peskov told Sky News opposition remains in the country, but added “of course the conditions are much more tough around here because we are in war conditions”.
Other prominent critics have either been imprisoned or have fled the country, and even some of his opponents abroad fear for their security.
Laws have been promising long prison terms for anyone who discredits the military.
The Kremlin also targets independent media, rights groups, LGBTQ+ activists and others who do not adhere to what Mr Putin has emphasised as Russia’s “traditional family values”.
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Sky News’ international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn said Mr Putin “has taken a country that was emerging from communism and economic collapse towards reform and reintegration into the international community, and he’s turned it in a pariah state threatening global security while he and his kleptocracy have stolen billions”.
He added: “In his inauguration speech, Putin said Russia stands united [but] an estimated 900,000 Russians have voted with their feet and left the country since his invasion of Ukraine.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ukraine’s partners to make sure Russia doesn’t “deceive” them over a ceasefire.
After breakthrough talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Saudi Arabia, Kyiv said it was ready to accept a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
But his nightly address on Wednesday evening, a day after the Jeddah summit, President Zelenskyy said, “we must move toward peace” – but issued a warning to allies.
“The key factor is our partners’ ability to ensure Russia’s readiness not to deceive but to genuinely end the war,” the Ukrainian leader said. “Because right now, Russian strikes have not stopped.”
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From Tuesday: Ukraine backs ceasefire plan
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The focus has now switched to Vladimir Putin’s response to the proposed ceasefire. President Trump said the US had received “some positive messages” adding: “We have people going to Russia right now”.
However, he warned Moscow: “In a financial sense, yeah we could do things very bad for Russia, would be devastating for Russia.”
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Will Russia go for ceasefire deal?
European defence ministers, meeting in Paris, said now was the time for Moscow to show it was serious about ending the war.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey was among those attending, and had a direct message for Russia’s president: “I say to president Putin, over to you, you want to talk, prove it.”
Mr Healey called on Russia to accept the ceasefire and end the war, adding, “the pressure is now on Putin”.
For his part, President Putin has been playing to his domestic audience with a visit to Kursk, where Russian troops finally seem to be gaining the upper hand against Ukrainian forces who seized territory in the Russian region last year.
The Russian line is approaching Sumy from Kursk Oblast
Dressed in camouflage, the Russian president called for his forces to defeat the enemy and completely liberate Kursk, in remarks reported by the Interfax news agency.
He also said enemy troops captured in the region will be treated as terrorists, as Russia’s chief of the general staff told Mr Putin that Ukrainian forces in the region are surrounded.
World
Pakistan: Hostages killed after separatist militants hijack train carrying hundreds of passengers
Hostages have been killed after separatist militants hijacked a train carrying hundreds of passengers in Pakistan, authorities have said.
The Pakistan military (ISPR) said 21 hostages were killed, as well as four security force soldiers, on the train that was carrying more than 400 people.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said they had killed 50 people.
A Pakistani government spokesman described the attack as “an act of terrorism,” and passengers who had been freed described how gunfire was “coming from everywhere”.
ISPR director general Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry added in a statement: “Today we freed a large number of people, including women and children. The final operation was carried out with great care.”
A soldier stands guard next to a rescue train after the hijack by separatist militants. Pic: Reuters
The train was hijacked on Tuesday as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, a district in the southwestern province of Balochistan.
The Jaffar Express was packed with 440 people, including women and children, Mr Chaudhry told local broadcaster Dunya TV.
He added that “militants were in touch with their handlers and masterminds in Afghanistan via satellite phones” during the incident.
Passengers rescued by security forces from the hijacked train. Pic: AP
The train was on a 1,000-mile journey from Quetta to the city of Peshawar.
Militants blew up the railway tracks before firing at the train, killing the driver and trapping it inside a tunnel at Mashkaf.
Security forces exchanged gunfire with the militants who were wearing vests loaded with explosives.
The train was hijacked as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, Pakistan
‘God saved us’
Noor Muhammad, who was travelling with his wife, said: “First, they hit the engine with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade).
“After that, gunfire started and explosions were heard, RPGs were used. God saved us.
“They made us get off (the train) and told us to get down or they would shoot. We got down and then they said ‘leave’.”
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Officials said a large number of the hostages had been rescued. Pic: AP
Bashir Yousaf, who was with his family, said: “Everyone was crying and passengers were shouting, everyone was lying on the floor trying to save their lives.
“The sound of gunfire was coming from everywhere, then they (insurgents) told us to get down.
“After getting off we were told not to look back. I just kept walking without looking back to save my family’s lives.”
A soldier keeps watch near to the scene of the hijacked train. Pic: AP
Mr Chaudhry added to Dunya TV that security forces “first took out some of the militants and then began clearing compartment by compartment killing the militants”.
He said the total number of militants was 33, and added that no passenger was hurt or killed during rescue operations.
However, he added that before “the final clearance,” 21 people were killed by the militants. Four Frontier Corps soldiers were also killed.
“Perpetrators will be hunted down and will be brought to justice,” he said. “This incident of the Jaffar Express changes the rules of the game.”
Soldiers and police have been deployed at sites close to the hijacking. Pic AP
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said security officials were “repelling” the militants, while interior minister Mohsin Naqvi called the attackers “enemies” of the country.
The BLA – designated a terrorist organisation by the UK – had demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and missing persons within 48 hours.
It had threatened to start executing the hostages if the government did not fulfil its demands.
The group often targets infrastructure and security forces in Balochistan but has also struck in other areas, including the southern port city Karachi and the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.
World
Pakistan: Hostages killed after separatist militants hijack train carrying hundreds of passengers
Hostages have been killed after separatist militants hijacked a train carrying hundreds of passengers in Pakistan, authorities have said.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said they had killed 50 people on the train that was carrying more than 400.
Government officials have not confirmed how many hostages have been killed. Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Balochistan province, said “we people have also been martyred, but we will share details later”.
More than 50 militants have been killed and the insurgent attack has now ended after a day-long stand-off, according to officials.
A soldier stands guard next to a rescue train after the hijack by separatist militants. Pic: Reuters
Security officials told the Associated Press news agency that more than 300 hostages had been rescued.
Pakistan’s junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry said 70 to 80 attackers had hijacked the train.
A Pakistani government spokesman described the attack as “an act of terrorism”.
Passengers who have been freed described how gunfire was “coming from everywhere”.
Passengers rescued by security forces from the hijacked train. Pic: AP
The train was hijacked on Tuesday as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, a district in the southwestern province of Balochistan.
The Jaffar Express was packed with 425 people, including women and children.
The train was on a 1,000-mile journey from Quetta to the city of Peshawar.
Militants blew up the railway tracks before firing at the train, killing the driver and trapping it inside a tunnel at Mashkaf.
Security forces exchanged gunfire with the militants who were wearing vests loaded with explosives.
The train was hijacked as it entered a tunnel in Bolan, Pakistan
Officials said a large number of the hostages had been rescued. Pic: AP
Noor Muhammad, who was travelling with his wife, said: “First, they hit the engine with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade).
“After that, gunfire started and explosions were heard, RPGs were used. God saved us. They made us get off (the train) and told us to get down or they would shoot. We got down and then they said ‘leave’.”
Read more from Sky News:
Arrested captain of crashed ship is Russian national
Children under eight ‘should avoid drinking slushies’
Bashir Yousaf, who was with his family, said: “Everyone was crying and passengers were shouting, everyone was lying on the floor trying to save their lives.
“The sound of gunfire was coming from everywhere, then they (insurgents) told us to get down.
“After getting off we were told not to look back. I just kept walking without looking back to save my family’s lives.”
A soldier keeps watch near to the scene of the hijacked train. Pic: AP
Soldiers and police have been deployed at sites close to the hijacking. Pic AP
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said security officials were “repelling” the militants, while interior minister Mohsin Naqvi called the attackers “enemies” of Pakistan.
The BLA had demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, activists, and missing persons within 48 hours.
It had threatened to start executing the hostages if the government did not fulfil its demands.
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