The inauguration ceremony opened with the Russian State Flag, Presidential Standard, Constitution and Symbol of Presidential Office being borne into the St Andrew Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Mr Medvedev’s motorcade left for the Grand Kremlin Palace from the Russian Government House, where he spent these last years working as first deputy prime minister, and entered the Kremlin through the Spassky Tower gates.
Mr Medvedev took an oath of loyalty to the people of Russia and was officially declared head of state by President of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin.
The new President then addressed the nation.
To the sound of an artillery salute, Mr Medvedev, together with Vladimir Putin, entered Cathedral Square, where the troops of the Presidential Regiment awaited in formation. May 7 is Day of the Presidential Regiment and the troops were congratulated on the holiday by Mr Medvedev and then marched across the square.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by members of the Russian government, representatives of both houses of parliament, the heads of the Presidential Executive Office, Constitutional Court judges, State Council members, federal executive officials, and foreign ambassadors. In all, around 2,000 people were invited to attend.
Russia’s presidential election took place on March 2, 2008, with 74,746,649 voters taking part. Mr Medvedev received 52,530,712 votes, 70.28 percent of the total, that is, more than half of all votes cast in the election.