(PHOTO GALLERY) Despite the bitter cold, tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated against Vladimir Putin’s regime or, conversely, came to support their prime minister and major favorite in the presidential election. Russia is due to elect a new head of state in exactly one month, so the demonstrations sound like a test of strength before a key vote on March 4. In earlier days, however, Russian newspapers were full of reports that civil servants were being forced to “obligatory” attend pro-Putin rallies through a mix of promises and threats.
“Russia without Putin! Russia will be free!” chanted the crowd in Moscow’s Blatny Square, where opponents of the regime of all shades, from anarchists and communists to liberals to nationalists and monarchists, congregated near the Kremlin. However, the core again consisted of Muscovites with no clear political orientation. According to organizers, 120,000 people gathered, according to police 36,000. But even that, according to police, would be more than the December demonstrations following parliamentary elections, which critics say are unusual.
“We must stop the outbreak and disruption, we must elect the only candidate who does not sell to America, for Vladimir Putin!” today, by contrast, shouted the speaker in Poklonna Hora on the outskirts of the wider metropolitan center, where, according to authorities, 138,000 people turned out.
People come to Poklonna Hora to support Putin
“We are the last bastion against the world’s evil empire,” chanted from the stage as state television showed the smiling faces of flag-waving Putin supporters.
It is said that people were brought to the pro-Putin rallies by bus from the wider area, and there was speculation about the Kremlin’s unfair pressure on civil servants. Opposition bloggers responded to the rapidly growing official turnout with the ironic prediction that “by the evening, all 143 million” of Russians will gather in Poklonna Hora.
Disaffected mixes protested against Putin
Opposition demonstrators left from the Oktyabrskaya metro station to Blatny Square with white balloons, flags and banners with the words “We will not let Putin into the Kremlin!”, “Down with the presidential autocrat!” or “We demand new elections”. Masses of citizens were joined by liberals, leftists and communists under red banners and nationalists with the black-yellow-white flag of Tsarist Russia.
However, on the whole, an atmosphere of happening prevails. “No bad weather for freedom,” said one banner. “We will not freeze, we will not forgive,” claimed another poster. “Freedom to the slaves on the galleys,” demanded another banner, alluding to Putin’s assertion that he toiled like a slave on the galleys as head of state. “We say NO to morally outdated projects!” said another about the prime minister’s plans to return to the Kremlin for a third time.
Protests since the election have not weakened
Today, the third major anti-government demonstration since December’s parliamentary elections, is seen as the main test of the anti-regime coalition, including various political forces, civic activists and high-profile artists. His opponent was not only the frost, which hit minus 19 degrees Celsius according to the thermometer at the Oktyabrskaya bus stop, but also Putin’s latest rise in popularity in opinion polls after the protests died down over the New Year holidays.
“There are at least 100,000 of us here! We will win, we will remove Russia from Putin’s yoke!” one opposition leader, Sergei Udaltsov, promised from the stage, before tearing up the prime minister’s photo as a “portrait of a crook and a thief”.
Vladimir Putin found himself accompanied by Bashar Assad and Alexander Lukashenko at a protest poster
The final resolution again demands the release of political prisoners, annulment of the December parliamentary election results, the removal of the chairman of the Central Election Commission and punishment for those responsible for faking the election, political reforms including the authorization of the opposition. parties and called for fair parliamentary and presidential elections. Mudná náměstí also called on Russia “not to give a single vote to Putin!” in a month.
Demonstrations and counter-demonstrations also took place in dozens of other cities; however, in some places only individuals or dozens of people, usually a few hundred to thousands, congregate because of the cold weather. According to the organizers, 30,000 people demonstrated against Putin in St. Petersburg. Petersburg. More serious incidents have not been reported.
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