MOSCOW – An unprecedented protest by tens of thousands of Russians claiming elections were rigged has prompted the Kremlin to promise to look into fraud charges and may be the first major threat to Vladimir Putin's uncontested hold on power.
By Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP
Russian nationalists shout while holding old Russian imperial flags during their rally at Bolotnaya Square, near the Kremlin in Moscow.
"If Putin ignores this, then it will mean a threat to his presidency," Gennady Gudkov, a parliamentarian with the opposition party A Just Russia said on Sunday.
If few had doubts that Putin would win his third presidential election in 12 years in March, then "this question is now not as certain as it was in the past," Gudkov said.
At least 30,000 people and perhaps as many as 100,000 turned up Saturday despite the wind and wet snow in Bolotnaya Square to demand a recount of the Dec. 4 parliamentary vote, in which Putin's United Russia won nearly half the vote. The protests near the Kremlin were the largest in post-Soviet history.
Protesters from all political factions said they were fed up in general with the government's corruption and inefficiency. Many shouted "Down with Putin," and "Russia without Putin."
Roman Braun, an entrepreneur in his mid-20s, held up a sign showing pictures of Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev, with a caption saying it was time for them to move on.
"I came because I think we've had enough of sitting in kitchens and talking about it, and it's time to come out and make a civil stand," he said.
Medvedev stated on his Facebook page Sunday that he ordered a probe into the allegations of electoral fraud. The posting generated more than 2,200 mostly angry comments within one hour. "Shame!" and "We don't believe you!" were the most common.
"I disagree with the slogans as well as with the speeches that were made at the rallies," he said, but he insisted he ordered a review for fraud.
A spokesman for Russia United said people have a right to protest the election results — but Andrei Isayev warned protesters not to allow themselves to be taken advantage of.
"There are other forces that don't need rallies; they need confrontations," he said.
Opposition leaders said the unprecedented size of the demonstration showed that the government would have to change if it wanted to remain in power.
"The people have awoken. They have understood that they are being ruled by a party of crooks and thieves headed by Putin," Boris Nemtsov, a longtime opposition leader and one of Putin's most vocal critics, said at the rally. "Putin is finished."
Russian security forces had cracked down on several protests that followed last week's vote. More than 1,000 people were arrested, including opposition leaders Alexei Navalny and Ilya Yashin. Putin had even blamed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for inciting the protests.
Despite a heavy police presence, no one was arrested at Saturday's demonstration. Political opposition groups said more rallies are planned for Saturday and Dec. 24. Gudkov said decisive measures could yet help Putin restore trust among the protesters.
"He needs to fire and convict 50 to 100 people to make it understood that voter fraud is unacceptable," Gudkov said. "The Central Election Committee must be dismissed."
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