The Kremlin bells will ring out a new era at noon today when Dmitri Medvedev takes office as the third President of Russia and its youngest leader for 114 years.

But even at his inauguration Mr Medvedev, 42, will be unable to escape the shadow of his predecessor, Vladimir Putin. His first act as President will be to appoint his patron in a job-swap that allows Mr Putin to keep a firm grip on power.

Mr Putin leaves the Kremlin and moves to the White House, where Mr Medvedev served as first Deputy Prime Minister until his election on March 2. The outgoing Prime Minister, Viktor Zubkov, is expected to fill Mr Medvedev's vacant seat as chairman of Gazprom, the state-controlled energy giant.

The ceremony, before 2,400 VIPs in the splendour of the Great Kremlin Palace, will be every bit as glittering as past inaugurations since 1996. But Russia enters uncharted waters in dividing political power between President Medvedev and the new Prime Minister, Mr Putin.

He concentrated power in his hands during his presidency but has moved to bolster the authority of the Prime Minister since declaring his intention to take on the role. Many view Mr Medvedev, who had never held elected office, as little more than a puppet selected by Mr Putin.

Mr Putin, 55, will play a central role in today's events, entering the palace before Mr Medvedev and giving a speech before passing the chain of office to the new President.

Mr Medvedev is rarely seen without Mr Putin and campaigned in the presidential election on a pledge to continue “Putin's Plan” for economic development. The two even appeared together on Red Square when Mr Medvedev gave his victory speech, and one recent poll found that two thirds of Russians believed that Mr Putin would control Mr Medvedev.

Other experts argue that Mr Medvedev will assume all the powers of the head of state as soon as he says the oath of office. They predict that he will gradually establish his independence, pointing out that Mr Putin seemed very unsure of himself in his early days as President.

Mr Medvedev is the first Russian leader not to have any known links to the Communist Party or the former KGB. Like Mr Putin, he is from St Petersburg and they first met when they worked together on the city council 17 years ago.

Russia under Mr Putin has been transformed from a bankrupt state to a booming economy, thanks to a massive influx of wealth from oil and gas exports. But the economic success has been accompanied by growing authoritarianism and more abrasive policies towards the West. Mr Medvedev has pledged to wage war on corruption and encourage greater freedom in all areas of life.

The rise of Medvedev

1965 Born in Kupchino on the outskirts of St Petersburg, then Leningrad, Dmitri Medvedev, right, read law at Leningrad State University alongside Vladimir Putin

1999 On becoming Prime Minister Mr Putin summoned Mr Medvedev to Moscow to become deputy head of government administration

2002 Became chairman of the gas company Gazprom. Appointed Kremlin Chief of Staff in 2003

2005 Appointed Deputy Prime Minister, a role created by Mr Putin

2008 Mr Medvedev replaces Mr Putin as President

Source: Times archives

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