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 Kremlin. At noon, when the bells of the Kremlin clock rung, Vladimir Putin entered St George's Hall and walked to the podium located in the St. Andrew Hall. The first speech was made by the outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev: After the speech Dmitry Medvedev and Chairman of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin invited Vladimir Putin to take the oath: Vladimir Putin read the text of the oath: After that, the Russian national anthem sounded, followed by a thirty-one salvo Artillery salute. Vladimir Putin delivered his speech as President of Russia: After the speech, Vladimir Putin headed for the exit, passing