Putin is entering his fifth term as president and has more control over Russia than ever

The question now is what the 71-year-old Putin will do in the next six years, both at home and abroad.

Russian forces are gaining ground in Ukraine and deploying scorched earth tactics as Kiev struggles with shortages of troops and ammunition. Both sides suffer heavy losses.

Ukraine has brought the fight into Russian territory through drone and missile attacks, especially in the border regions. In a speech in February, Putin pledged to fulfill Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine and do what is necessary to “defend our sovereignty and security of our citizens.”

Shortly after his orchestrated re-election in March, Putin suggested that a confrontation between NATO and Russia was possible, stating that he wanted to create a buffer zone in Ukraine to protect his country from cross-border attacks.

Domestically, Putin’s popularity is closely linked to improving the living standards of ordinary Russians.

He began his term in 2018 by promising to put Russia in the top five of the world’s economies, pledging that the country should be “modern and dynamic.” Instead, Russia’s economy has been put on a war footing and authorities are spending record amounts on defense.

Analysts say that with Putin having another six years in power, the government could take the unpopular steps of raising taxes to finance the war and pressure more men to join the military.

At the start of a new term, the Russian government is routinely dissolved so that Putin can appoint a new prime minister and cabinet.

An important area to keep an eye on is the Ministry of Defense.

Last year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu came under pressure over his warfare, with mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin issuing scathing criticism of him over the shortage of ammunition for his private contractors fighting in Ukraine. Prigozhin’s brief uprising in June against the Defense Ministry posed the biggest threat to Putin’s rule.

After Prigozhin died in a mysterious plane crash two months later, Shoigu appeared to have survived the infighting. But last month his protégé, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, was arrested on bribery charges, amid reports of rampant corruption.

Some analysts have suggested that Shoigu could fall victim to the government reshuffle, but that would be a bold move as the war in Ukraine continues to rage.

In the years since the invasion, authorities have dealt with any form of dissent with a ferocity not seen since Soviet times. There are no signs that this repression will ease during Putin’s new term.

His greatest political enemy, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, died in a penal colony in the Arctic in February. Other prominent critics have been jailed or fled the country, and even some of his opponents abroad fear for their safety.

Laws have been passed that threaten long prison sentences for anyone who discredits the military. The Kremlin is also targeting independent media, rights groups, LGBTQ+ activists and others who do not adhere to what Putin has emphasized as Russia’s “traditional family values.”

Emma Burrows, The Associated Press