MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. Vladimir Putin took an oath to the people of Russia at Andreyevksy Hall of the Moscow Kremlin for the fifth time.
Holding his right hand on the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Putin read out the text of the presidential oath: "As I carry out my duties as the President of the Russian Federation, I swear to respect and protect freedoms and rights of man and citizen, to comply with and protect the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to defend the sovereignty and independence, security and integrity of the state, and to faithfully serve the people."
The presidential oath includes a total of 33 words. The words of the presidential oath are defined by the Article Four of the Russian Constitution, together with the status of the head of state.
The copy of the Constitution, use for the presidential oath, is called an inaugurational copy; it is kept in the Presidential library in the Kremlin. This copy was produced specifically for the presidential inauguration ceremony in 1996, and it was used for all inaugurations since; the current version includes the amendments, introduced in 2020, following a nation-wide vote.
The cover of this special copy of the Constitution is made of a monitor lizard leather; it is adorned by a silver coat of arms and a gilded inscription.