Political career of Vladimir Putin personally congratulated Putin on his victory, calling Putin "a driving force behind strategic ties of cooperation between Venezuela and Russia." Anti-Putin protests took place during and directly after the presidential campaign. The most notorious protest was the 21 February Pussy Riot performance, and subsequent trial. Also, an estimated 8,000-20,000 protesters gathered in Moscow on 6 May, when eighty people were injured in confrontations with police, and 450 were arrested, with another 120 arrests taking place the following day. Putin was inaugurated in the Kremlin on 7 May 2012. On his first day as President, Putin issued 14 Presidential decrees, including
Third inauguration of Vladimir Putin Third inauguration of Vladimir Putin The third inauguration of Vladimir Putin as the President of Russia took place on Monday, May 7, 2012, in the Grand Kremlin Palace. The ceremony was attended by about three thousand people, including ministers, governors, deputies, senators, foreign ambassadors and religious leaders, as well as Russian scientists and artists. Vladimir Putin won the election with more than sixty percent of the votes. He took office two months after the elections. At the beginning of the ceremony Kremlin Regiment soldiers carried the Flag of Russia, Flag of the Russian President, Constitution of Russia and Sign of