Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Voice of America
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin walks prior to his inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 7, 2024.
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
FILE - A handmade version of the Islamic State group's flag is seen on Sept. 17, 2020. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York via AP)
FILE - A steelworker moves an artillery projectile during the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on April 13, 2023. The U.S. Defense Department said last week that some weapons deliveries to Ukraine will take months to complete.
FILE - A police patrol car provided with aid from the Chinese government is seen in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, April 18, 2024.
FILE - A truck is packed with crushed granite at a mining plant in Zamfara, Nigeria, April 21, 2016.
FILE - Tourists visit Roman ruins in Palmyra, Syria, on May 11, 2023. Syrian state-run media reported on Nov. 20, 2024, that a strike on the historic town killed 36 people. Syrian leaders blamed Israel.
Bannu, Pakistan
FILE - Migrants disembark at the port in Valverde at the Canary island of El Hierro, Spain, on Aug. 26, 2024, after they arrived by boat from a 13-day voyage from the coast of Senegal.
A child reacts to an Unitree Go2 intelligent side-follow robot during a performance at a popular shopping district in Beijing, Nov. 17, 2024.
FILE - A convoy of army vehicles patrol the streets in Mandalay, Myanmar, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.
Major General Kenneth Chigbu, deputy theatre commander of Operation Hadin Kai is shown with poses for a group photograph with Alice Loksha, left, and Fayina Ali at Army Barrack Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 15, 2024.
FILE - A Pakistani waits to open an internet page on a desktop in Lahore, Pakistan, Aug. 19, 2024. Pakistan's top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful.