Russians look for change after anti-Putin rallies

RUSSIA: Russians sought out the first signs of change Sunday after tens of thousands rallied across the country and swarmed Moscow in the biggest ever show of defiance against Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule.

Saturday's historic demonstrations near the Kremlin saw more than 50,000 chant "Russia without Putin" and deride his ruling party for its narrow victory in December 4 elections that were alleged to have been riddled with fraud.

The show of public anger was unprecedented for a city that emerged from the tumultuous 1990s as the birthplace of the "managed democracy" system that Putin set up across Russia on his rise to the presidency in 2000.

The ex-KGB chief now serves as premier and this month's legislative poll was seen as a litmus test of his decision to return to the Kremlin for up to 12 more years in March elections that he seemed destined to win.

But scenes similar to those seen Saturday in Moscow were also replayed on a smaller scale across the industrial hubs of Siberia and the Urals - a sign that Putin's path back may be more fraught than it appeared just a week ago.

"Right now there is actually a chance for us to change something," said 44-year-old Anna Bekhmentova as the demonstrators chanted "No to a police state!" and tied the protest movement's white ribbons to their winter jackets.

"No one I know voted for United Russia," said Bekhmentova in reference to a party the opposition has branded a gang of "swindlers and thieves."

Putin's planned job swap with President Dmitry Medvedev saw his impressive popularity ratings take a surprise hit amid grumblings that the people were never consulted about who should lead their country next.

AFP