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Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP - Getty Images
Two of the organisers of the upcoming opposition rally "For Fair Elections," anti-Kremlin blogger Alexei Navalny (R) and former chess champion Garry Kasparov (L), speak as they attend a meeting of the rally organisers in Moscow, on Jan. 31, 2012.
MOSCOW – By any standard, it was an impressive array of individuals. Seated under a large poster of a young Andrei Sakharov – the Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident, 1975 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and spiritual father of their movement – the brain trust of Moscow's anti-Putin opposition sat at card tables debating their next move.
The group was putting the finishing touches on the plan for this Saturday's protest – an hour march through central Moscow and a short rally across the Moskva River from the Kremlin. It will be the third mass opposition demonstration in Moscow since the December 4 parliamentary polls that were widely criticized for voter fraud in favor of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s party.
Six weeks ago, more than 100,000 protesters took to the streets to vent their anger with the corruption and stagnation of the Putin regime. But since then, the end-of-year Russian holidays, followed by a Siberian cold snap with record-breaking temperatures, has undeniably sapped the protest movement's energy. The organizers collective fatigue was palpable.
Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion, led the meeting. Not because he's so smart he almost beat a super computer at chess, but because his countless arrests and beatings at the hands of Russian riot police had earned him the mantle. Seated beside him were the two young stars of the new generation of Russian dissidents, the right-of-center blogger Alexei Navalny and socialist activist Sergei Udaltsov.
Str / AFP - Getty Images
Opposition activists hang their banner reading: "Putin, go!" atop a bulding's roof, just over the Moskva River river from the Kremlin (foreground) in Moscow, on Feb. 1.
Both men, in their 30's, had recently spent weeks in jail on charges of organizing illegal protests. Now they were subdued, speaking occasionally, but more often just listening, scrolling through their iPhone messages or tweeting.
Opposite Kasparov, sat Vladimir Ryzhkov. He too had paid his dues. Once the youngest MP elected to Boris Yeltsin's parliament at age 27, Ryzhkov, broad-minded and articulate, was seen rather differently by Putin's Kremlin. The “dangerous” reformer has effectively been ostracized from mainstream politics.
“No doubt the Russian Winter is not as inviting as the Arab Spring,” Kasparov quipped. “But I would say that 30, 40 or 50,000 in this weather will send a message across the river to the Kremlin.''
But what message will that be? Putin's propaganda machine will likely jump on any smaller turn-out, proving, they will no doubt say, that the protest is petering out.
By the end of their two hour meeting the protest organizers were clearly divided over what to do next to regain some momentum.
Navalny argued that the mass protests of December needed to grow bigger and more frequent to pressure the Kremlin. But author Boris Akunin argued that the days of the big protests were over. They were too costly, too time-consuming, and had already peaked. It was time, he said, to focus on smaller, flash mob-generated actions.
Misha Japaridze / AP
Russian opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov shows a V sign after he was released from a detention center in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012. Udaltsov, whose jailing became a rallying point for the Russian opposition, has been freed after a month in custody.
Indeed, across Moscow, such “attacks” are growing in number. On any given day, small groups of protesters walk out of the city's many subway stations, their mouths covered with strips of masking tape, on which is written “We Have No Voice.” They're arrested almost as soon as they walk into the street. They also have tried cyber-attacks on the Kremlin's Internet. Within hours of the launch of Putin's own website, it was jammed by thousands of emails calling on him to resign.
And in arguably the most startling “protest,” several activists managed to hang a giant banner on the top of a building directly opposite the Kremlin for all to see. Painted on the banner, both Putin’s likeness covered by a huge “X,” and beneath it, the words, “Go Away!” in Russian. Amazingly it took an hour for the police to spot it and tear it down. But, while often hilarious, none of these flash mob tactics are likely to keep Putin from winning a six-year term in the March 4 presidential elections.
Kremlin's photo-doctoring backfires big time
Putin himself seems to have come to that conclusion. Creating massive traffic jams in central Moscow today as his convoy skidded over the icy snow from one campaign stop to another, he's got his swagger back. His camp believes the protest movement is too divided to coalesce around one opposition candidate. And, besides, the other official candidates – Communist Gennady Zyuganov, Nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Social Democrat Sergei Mironov and billionaire owner of the New Jersey Nets Mikhail Prokhorov – are all Kremlin-approved because they pose no real threat.
Andrey Smirnov / AFP - Getty Images
A police officer braves the cold as he detains a demonstrator wearing a carnival costume of death who tried to take part in an unauthorized stage protest just outside the Interior Ministry headquarters in Moscow on Friday. The sign on the protester's chest says "Corruption."
So what happens to the movement if Putin wins? Ryzhkov painted a dark picture: “There will be mass protests starting March 5th,” he said in his Moscow home and office following the meeting. “And then we stay in the streets until reforms start and Putin promises new legislative and presidential elections.”
“You mean Tent Cities,” I asked?
“Yes,” he replied. “Like the Orange Revolution in Ukraine.”
And what if Putin doesn't reform, but instead cracks down?
“Unfortunately Putin is a dangerous man. He can start some violence like [Syria’s] Bashar al-Assad or [Libya’s] Moammar Ghadafi. But I hope that if he sees a half million people in the streets, he will start reforms instead of violence.”
Many middle-class, well-educated Russians are calling the protests a turning point. But is it the beginning of the end of Putin's political career? Or rather the beginning of an unprecedented second 12-year run of power for the only real leader Russians have known this century?
The answer is blowing in a bone-chilling, Siberian wind.
Jim Maceda is an NBC News foreign correspondent based in London who has covered Russia and the former Soviet Union since the 1980's.
Leave a Comment:
In America, you break the law. In Russia, the law breaks you.
...also in America, you irritate someone; they show you the finger. Do the same thing in Russia, you get high grade polonium for dinner plus the finger....
Yes, the requisite Smirnov joke.. so played out
It's nice that we don't need to include the lame PC "Soviet" title any more, too.
By definition "anti-Putin protesters"
would be pro-Putin. Get it? Journalism/English 101.
Please don't believe this propaganda! Putin is very popular among Russians. The so-called opposition leaders are paid out of a fund which can be traced to the CIA. Google: Why Washington Wants ‘Finito’ with Putin The US government does not want a strong opponent like Putin, but another puppet, like they put in Georgia. There are many reasons for that, both political and financial. In 1999, Russia was on the verge of disentegration into many independent states, which would be easily bought and controlled by the US. However, Putin didn't let that happen by directly appointing the governors of all regions, an undemocratic, but necessary measure, which ultimately saved Russia and made it a lot stronger. If you really want to know what Putin did for Russia, instead of reading some pressitute propaganda, do your own research on the subject. By the way, the author of the article conveniently forgot to mention the pro-Putin demonstrations, which took place all over Russia, not just in bourgeois Moscow (like the opposition rallies). Google: Poklonnaya Gora rally.
Mr Clarke, if you despise the United State so, why did you chose to live in the US? Just leave.
Ad'M - truth hurts. He wants a better country ,one that puts crooks in jail for stealing billions.He loves his country and want justice.
GOD Ad'M, I really hate that love it or leave it bull @!$%#.
"All Around the World...the Same Song"
Time for the power hungry to go!
Hmmm ..... Occupy Moscow? And I wonder if the occupiers know that the Gut Fawkes likeness is owned by Time-Warner, who gets paid every time one is purchased.
I didn't buy it, and the symbolism is greater than the movie or who earns a few bucks. You are essentially making the same dumb argument as people who complain that protesters have smart phones or bank accounts.
We have no voise.Sounds like here in america.The government just pretends to listen.
mike... I do feel we have a voice and that was proven this week over the komen/PP we made a change using democracy. which is the majority rules. now if we can do that on the political level remains to be seen because it would mean we all would have to unit no mater what.
that means we would all have to stop all the pettiness and bulling such as we would have to put aside our religious beleifs but maintaining them of course, so we may respect each others spiritual beliefs so we can reach the ultimate goal of changing our goverment making it better and making it work for the American people and not against them anymore
. Such as many all over the world are doing. in each country the ultimate goal may be different but all and all I feel we are all trying to reach this goal for a common good . I see it coming but many are not ready to commit and I like many feel it will work to change things for the better maintaining our principles and morals. without.... how should I say this without getting into a religious war. I see this as a possibility and do not like it.
our country The USA ,where freedom of religion has grown to be one of our deepest roots in this country and has gone off track so to speak ..... needs to get back on track then our show of protesting can be seen in numbers so large they can do nothing but listen to us and make the changes . this will not happen overnight but we need to get started .
Just noticed . A Real Russian was deleted by CNN censorship, from what I read ,he made a lot of sense. How do you manipulate news like they did in Russia under Stalin-he remove ones you do not like and leave statements that fits with the AGENDA , which is propaganda. I thought that I lived in the U. S. with the so called free press that protects our Democracy , but the conclusion has to be -no, we only have "free press" phoney like the 9/11 report , like the "War On Drugs", phoney like the "war On Terror".
The Russian people have never lived in a democracy...slowly the sleeping giant is waking to the possibilities. With the internet and social media, the world is so much smaller now; people see what others have and they want it for themselves. People see how others attain it and follow that path too. Stay strong Russian people!
That Russian opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov pictured above is a hero. Thanks to Obama signing the National Defense Authorization Act, detention camps will be in America as well in the future. Speak out against those in power and that is where you will end up...in a detention camp indefinitely if the government wishes it.
Don't let the cold weather chill your dreams , liberties and freedoms.....
The Russians have had enough of Putin.....
Stand strong together Russians....
The government of Russia would pull their pants down and Putin all over these people but it is too cold. They will wait till spring.
I've got a couple of names for their movement. First '' Occupy Siberia " which is where they'll end up at. The other is '' The T Party ". Unfortunately this "t" will stands for tortured.
Putin should make a trip to Israel like he did in 2005 and hopefully something would come of it.the second time
around
The Second Coming of Putin.................in a manner speaking!
HUMMM.
Moscow Weather -6 F. and they are out protesting!
New York Weather 41 F and WHERE ARE THE OWS WUSSES???
Shows how much the OWS crowd puts into their so called PROTEST!!
What happened to standing up for your beliefs??
Where are their CONVICTIONS??
Bunch of FAIR WEATHER PU$$IES.
slodon, at least we know you offer HUMMM jobs any time of the year.
Hey Russia, We the people in America are with you!
The Russian people will rise again and cast their Militarys Rulers Souls into stones.
The truth shall set you free.
The lies will keep you on a ball and chain.
2012 is turning into a World Wide Revolution
Doomsday Party 02/29/2012
We are living in the time of Revalations. The scales of time are being held in the hand of one of the Four Horseman. Thee one on the black horse with red eyes. In his other hand is a rope that is tied into a noose.
On one side of the scales of time is the 'Age of Enlightenment' where the truth shall live and the lies will die.
On the other side of the scales of time is the "Age of Enslavement" where the lies will live and the truth shall die.
We the people of the World need to unite together as one to make it out of the Age of Enslavement and into the Age of Enlightenment.
It takes two to make one because it took two whole people to make each one of us.
1+1=1 One for all and all for one. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior
GOD Bless the World and all of the people that believe in the spirit of the Holy Ghost that is within each one of us. GOD Bless the Souls of the people that are being slaughtered for their belief in their own religion.
The road to PEACE is paved with FREEDOM.
The truth shall set you free.
The lies will keep you on a ball and chain.
Jenasus Trinity Parks
critical times hard to deal with, will be here. man dominating man to his injury.
Jeffrey, it's kind of hard to take you seriously when you don't even know the name of the Book of Revelation is singular.
Try reading the Bible, it really oughtta help you out more than whatever nutjob you're cultishly following.
The power of the internet.
I bet Socrates is smiling in the big internet in the sky.
Type my follow Earthlings, type. And think of your persecuted brethren around the world when you do.
Governments around the world are all the same. THEY LISTEN! Then when they find who the opposition is they act.Most of the time it is not in the peoples wishes but they do respond. When you throw religon into the mix,you get another mess. Politics is nothing but a power trip
The best way to draw support to Russia from America is too first find an internet Translator. Write your support in American and then translate it to Russian and then find Russian You Tube sites to post your support at.
You Tube search query - Russian
The more Russians that know America supports them the more they are likely to oust Putin which given the situation with Iran ousting Putin of which he has a hand in Iran will allow more persuasive talks with Iran to occur.
This is America....don't be afraid to express your freedom of speech in support of another countries freedom even if it takes you to that countries website.
First of all, the language you speak is not 'American'.
Second, please don't believe this propaganda!
Putin is very popular among Russians.
The so-called opposition leaders are paid out of a fund which can be traced to the CIA.
Google: Why Washington Wants ‘Finito’ with Putin
The US government does not want a strong opponent like Putin, but another puppet, like they put in Georgia. There are many reasons for that, both political and financial.
In 1999, Russia was on the verge of disentegration into many independent states, which would be easily bought and controlled by the US. However, Putin didn't let that happen by directly appointing the governors of all regions, an undemocratic, but necessary measure, which ultimately saved Russia and made it a lot stronger. If you really want to know what Putin did for Russia, instead of reading some pressitute propaganda, do your own research on the subject.
By the way, the author of the article conveniently forgot to mention the pro-Putin demonstrations, which took place all over Russia, not just in bourgeois Moscow (like the opposition rallies). Google: Poklonnaya Gora rally.
To this string of comments I find most interesting. Here you have both sides of the coin. Do I have opinions, I sure do but will keep them to myself. There are nuts on both sides and wish my family and friends to be safe in former ussr. Many people in the usa do not understand russia is more than a place on the map. It is also its own culture. As I write, no matter if your opinion is pro orange or anti orange, neither is comfortable with the west.
Should every vote be honest, putin will win the election. The writer of this story is correct. Most people in russia are happy with him. My guess is he will take 55% of the vote. In 1999 russia was a mess. For the safety of the world, I'm happy he kept russia together as a country. The odds it could have led to a huge civil war were great and you can bet many different countries would have been pulled into that. At that time, moscow did not have control of all the atomic weapons from the former ussr. Russia was also in a economic mess because of yeltsin. The mess was so bad if stalin came back from the dead, he would have been voted leader.
Putin has put russian troops in 2 countries, georgia being one. The area he went into has a very high population of people of russian decent. What the gov of georgia did and allowed to happen was just wrong. Do I give putin a "ok" going in there, no. At least for now the killing and violence has stopped. The government of georgia does not have clean hands in that mess. How to fix it, I have no idea.
My one problem I worry about is if putin will become a danger to the world. This taking turns at president to p.m. and back again, I do ask if this is a good idea. The one point no one talks about is how much sorros is sticking his nose in what goes on in russia.
Why did you leave out the Russian genocide of the Chechen people, comrade MiK3H?
Ah, the hypocrisy of the Soviets lives on.
Ad'M,
As I read your comment, I can assume you believe in "eye for eye" If all believe in this, then soon the whole world will be blind. When should it all stop? For me, only it stops is important. Next to find a way to start to fix it. I do not know how. Do you? If you wish to know my soul, to stalin I say, suka! From what country was stalin a native son. From what country was nakita a native son. Neither native sons of russia. I can play silly word games also. You nor I can fix the past. How can we fix today and all next days?
Did I say yeltsin was right for his actions? no. Did I say putin was right for his actions? no. Did I say chechen persons were wrong with the bombs? no. Did I say hitler played the chechen people for fools?no. What I did say is there are no clean hands. Did I lie? no.
I will ask you, how do we fix it? If we were neighbors and you hungry, may I offer you food? Or, if I was hungry, would you offer me food? We can try to find a way to fix it or, until end of the world, find ways to kill each other. Can I fix what happen 200 years ago? no. Can you fix what happen 200 years ago? no. On the other hand, if you think yes, I'm just wasting my time.
poka
Wow, typical Soviet bull$hit. You can start fixing it by bringing those responsible for the genocide of the Chechen people to justice.
But you are right in one respect, it will take many generations before the Soviet garbage ideology is purged from your culture.
Keep your garbage ideas to yourself, no one is listening. ... ignore idiot ... no value.
I tried to open honest conversation. I see that it will not be possible with someone of a closed little mind only thinking shari'ah law is what the world should have.
Are you here spilling your venom from Tel Aviv, as you did before , dwighthut , moze huy ?. As I told you before, you get the KBG upset they will find you in Tel Aviv and send a Palestinian on you -you are only stirring up trouble. Malchay or write something less hateful. Do not go there , you are about as welcome in Moscow as in Gaza .
dwighthuth, same goes for your neighbor , Ad"M. Tell him about Dzerzynsky, Beria both your paisans that killed MILLIONS so ,please , reserve your hatred for each other and stop spewing it here. Did Reuters pay you for this ?
Then again maybe Socrates isn't smiling in the big internet in the sky. :-)
These protests are organized and funded by the WEST to seed unrest and chaos in Russia. Most of these people are gay and lesbian who are pissed off for not being allowed to march around RED SQUARE. In the WEST they have managed to package an ILLUSION of democracy and shove it down the throats of their citizens. Russia can never have the western form of democracy because it will fragment into million little pieces. For gods sake we have people here in the USA namely from TEXAS and ALASKA talking about leaving the UNION. We all know that this would not happen without huge blood shed. Putin is the shining light for RUSSIA. We in the west want PUTIN in power, because he brings stability to RUSSIA and the WORLD. Gays will have to go to some park in SAUDI ARABIA where it is nice and warm to strut around. We know those MUSLINS are an understanding bunch!!!
So very true!!!
People need to know what is really going on in Russia!
Thank you, brother!
I have always felt for the plight of the russian people. Such ominous opression that is faught by people over such a long period of time. A russian is a formidable enemy in any war because a russian will have met such severe challenges during a life time that even war could not introduce different suffering.
From long time ago, especially from the times of World War Two russians were known as soldiers that would meet and beat other entities easily. When one watches the nation and what they have to endure one easily understands how isolated this country is. Not many news stories ever come out from that country.
And Putin? Weeellll, lets talk a little about Putin then, shall we? Putin is a strong presence in Russian and he has his hands in many different political situations around the world. One should never underestimate Putin. It will be very interesting to see what happens in this country. I have watched the same demonstrations and the same detrimental outcomes to those poor people for decades. Very very disturbing and one tends to wonder if the people of Russia will ever be able to break free from opression.
Curious, at the suggestion of the "real russian" I did google Pokolonnya Gora Rally and found that the Russian Press has found no credible support via these purported prop-Putin events. Early in the afternoon, Kommersant reporter Uliana Malashenko tweeted from the Pokolonnya Gora Rally: “The majority of demonstrators at Poklonnaya Gora can’t answer the question of why they came. Almost all are from organizations. One person said [he came] for money.”
There were widespread reports in recent days of companies, including state-ownedSberbank, and local government organs pressuring people to attend the “anti-orange” rally in support of the current authorities.
The assertion that the CIA has been successful to pay Orange Party organizers and leaders of the movement to enable democracy, to be imprisoned, beaten and threatened by this old-school Russian Oligarch who simply does not want to hand over the reins of his personal power is absurd. A real russian who be outraged by the corruption facilitated by the Putin leadership...which allows small time politicians to live lavish lifestyles with paltry official salaries because the under the table tipping is so lucrative. Russian patriots must have the courage to speak truth to power...as do Americans to own serious inequities fostered by more subtle but serious power corruption.
Read more:#ixzz1lVpG87dJ
The Moscow Times
The western press and some brave reporters within Russia have done admirable work depicting the corruption within Russian. Recently I read a piece in the daily mail that cataloged some obvious evidence of the corruption in Russia. It resonates and is similar to other well-documented accounts.
it's obummers fault
Usual unsubstantiated claim by those who deny basic human rights of their citizens. Whether it is Syria, China, Russia, Libya, or North Korea, it is always the same partyline hogwash. The egomaniac leaders of these regimes will fight to their last ounce of strength to undermine basic rights to fair elections, religious freedom, free speech and press. These morally bankrupt regimes and their misguided followers unfailingly blame external external sources and every other internal group - gays, capitalists, religious leaders, etc.....
Past history has ALWAYS proven the true nature of their misguided actions against the people. Whether it was Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Gaddafi, or Saddam Hussein, they all met their final justice. Basar al-Assad will soon meet a similar fate for denying basic freedoms and pursuing a wanton course of indiscriminate killing of his people. Putin has chosen a similar course of corruptive action denying free and fair elections. Compounding his illegal actions by denying freedom to assemble and free speach will only accelerate his demise. The unwavering support to al-Assad by Russia and China, reflected in their veto of the latest U.N. resolution is indicative of their pathetic grasping for power. THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING!!!!
Love him or hate him, he is a interesting person to watch. Will he win the election this spring? yes he will. Good or bad is another topic. Russia is a large counry. My guess is he will only get about 40% of the vote in moscow & st. petersburg, but in the rest of the country he will get a huge majority to average out to about 55% of the entire vote. Some reasons for this are just plain and simple, they feel safe with him. Also, most russians are still angry that about 60 years ago, nakita gave the crimea as a gift to ukraine. Most feel this is part of russia.....................now to connect the dots.
Putin has never said crimea should be part of russia again, but just watch his actions. He has put a lot of money into this region lately. He signed the treaty for his navy to stay thier. Most of the population thier is russian and he has been "warming" up to them. Will he get it back, he sure will, just a question of how. One way would be a returned gift from ukraine for some large favor. Another would be for the people to say they succeed from ukraine and he already has the military there to say, welcome back to russia. Why does he want this you ask. 1st, as a politician, he could be voted president for life, he would be so popular. 2nd, never forget he thinks mostly as a military man. Russia has only one weakness if invaded. To do so going south to north, dividing it in half. If he controls the black sea, that can not happen. Napolean and hitler made the same silly mistake. They tried to drive west to east. Remember, at WWII, they kept falling back, bleeding the german army until they thought it was weak enough for the counter offence. The only places they had to fight to the death were stalingrade & st. petersburg. From the port of st. petersburg, germany could resupply and go anyplace it wished. Why a history reminder, russia has no trust in the west. Germany is whole again and if they ever went nuts again, they have the strongest economy and military in europe. They still recall the almost 24 million killed in this war and they wonder if it could happen again. So, as long as the average russian feels safer with him, he will continue to be reelected to some role in national leadership.
Only in Russia can a bisexual can become President.
Well, I see you are here for this posting also. Just a little about me. I was never soviet. I was never a member of the communist party. I was never a member of the soviet military nor the russian military.
Between hitler and stalin, 75% of my family was killed or went missing. Missing, the same as dead. Should I run to germany and kill as many germans as possible? Should I go to stalins birth land and there also kill as many as I can? What do you suggest I do in russia because stalin was the leader of the ussr? Most of my family that was killed were not soldiers. I was not a citizen of russia when yeltsin and putin sent the military.
With just these few facts about me, please help me. What would be the correct amount of hate to carry around in my heart?
Smell sewer - Ad'M, familiar tactics. As I explained to dwighthuth before -if you stir trouble as you do with sewer comments insulting Russians, you will upset KGB and you two should know what they are like. They will send a Palestinian on you ( Palestinians can not be anti-semitic by definition). they will waterboard you , Bush says it is legal with terrorists or wannabes ( your category ) and the truth will come out . Then, they will detain you indefinately like we do at Gitmo-the food will be worse-black bread and water. So , please, think twice about making sewer remarks about their leader. He is an ex-KGB , you know, a very dedicated man and KGB officers love their boss. So in closing, think twice before you write and check under your bed every night. I just want you to have a good life , not a life of a thrall.
The big questions are:
1) Who are they?
2) Who's funding and organizing them?
Probably same people who funded and organized the French and Russian revolutions, and most revolutions since: the Central Bankers.
Now that's history. The rest is blah blah.