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.