Moscow - Over a hundred thousand people braved the bitter cold at two major rallies in Moscow Saturday as a power play between champions of political liberalisation and supporters of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin continues to unfold.
The first demonstration demanded fair elections at the March 4 presidential polls, at which Putin is expected to secure a third term in the Kremlin. It also called on Russians "not to give a single vote" to Putin.
The opposition rally is widely seen by analysts as a litmus test of protesters' ability to maintain momentum after two earlier protests against alleged vote fraud in favour of Putin's United Russia party at December's parliamentary polls.
"We are prepared for a long, tough struggle," said protest organiser and opposition figure Boris Nemtsov on the eve of the rally. "One peaceful march will not change the country."
Around 30,000 have signed up on social networks to attend the demonstration. The protests included a march through downtown Moscow and a rally across the Moskva river from the Kremlin. The two previous rallies drew an estimated combined total of 100,000 people.
President Dmitry Medvedev, widely seen as Putin's junior partner in Russia's ruling tandem, proposed a host of political reforms after the initial vote protests, including the return of direct elections for regional governors and easier registration for political parties and presidential candidates. His proposals were dismissed by protest leaders Friday as "imitation reforms".
Putin has also ordered the installation of video cameras at polling stations and has encouraged independent monitors to oversee the presidential vote.
A separate rally, earlier expected to draw some 15,000 people, urged protesters to resist what organisers say are attempts to instigate an Orange Revolution in Russia. So-called Colour uprisings took place in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia in the early 2000s after contested presidential elections.
Putin thanked late Friday those people who planned to attend the rally in his support. "I share their views," he said.
Police said between 90,000 and to 160,000 attended the event in support of Putin, compared to 35,000 at the opposition rally on Bolotnaya Ploshchad, whose organisers estimated attendance at 100,000.
Speakers at the pro-government rally lambasted the opposition for plotting a revolution in the interests of Western powers.
The rally lasted slightly over an hour and wrapped up shortly after 2 p.m. without incidents. Police said the organisers would be fined for exceeding the officially sanctioned attendance limit of 15,000.
Both demonstrations have been authorised by City Hall.
Today : Saturday - May 26, 2012, 07:04am (GMT+5.5)
