Hundreds of opposition protesters were detained in Russia Monday as Vladimir Putin was sworn in as president after serving four years as prime minister. Putin took his oath of office in a glittering former throne room in the Kremlin that included a blessing from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Outside, however, 20,000 people rallied in a demonstration against the former KGB spy that turned violent when protesters and police fought with batons and flagpoles. “Putin has shown his true face, how he ‘loves’ his people—with police force,” said Dmitry Gorbunov, a 35-year-old computer analyst involved in the protests.
