Vladimir Putin has been sworn in for his fourth term as president of Russia at a ceremony in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow.
Video footage released by Russian television showed Mr Putin’s distinctive walk along the Great Kremlin Palace’s long corridors, thanking supporters as they applauded him.
Mr Putin has been in power in Russia since 1999, whether as prime minister or president, and is Russia’s longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Supporters see Mr Putin as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow’s global power.
The Kremlin has planned a low-key inauguration ceremony that will not include a lavish Kremlin reception in an apparent effort to eschew any bad publicity.
The ceremony is being watched across the world as the Russian leader finds himself increasingly at odds with much of the international community.
Russia’s interior ministry said about half of the 1,200 arrests happened in Moscow, but monitoring group OVD-Info put the number at more than 1,600 across 20 cities.
In a widely expected win in March, Mr Putin secured more than 76.66% of the vote and a turnout of 67.47%, the Central Election Commission said.
Addressing a crowd near Moscow’s Red Square shortly after the count, Mr Putin said his victory was a vote of confidence in his achievements.
“It’s very important to maintain this unity,” he said.
Asked later if he could seek the presidency again in 2030, Mr Putin replied: “It’s ridiculous. Do you think I will sit here until I turn 100?”