Thousands of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Monday to protest against alleged election fraud at this weekend's parliamentary polls, which saw a big slump in support for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.
© RIA Novosti . Andrei Stenin / Go to the mediabankThousands of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Monday to protest against alleged election fraud at this weekend's parliamentary polls, which saw a big slump in support for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.
Thousands of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Monday to protest against alleged election fraud at this weekend's parliamentary polls, which saw a big slump in support for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.
© RIA Novosti . Andrei Stenin / Go to the mediabankThe rally was the largest opposition protest for years in Moscow and comes amid rising disgruntlement with the authorities.
The rally was the largest opposition protest for years in Moscow and comes amid rising disgruntlement with the authorities.
© RIA Novosti . Natalya GrebenyukCrowd numbers were estimated at “around 5,000” by a RIA Novosti correspondent at the scene. Police put the crowd at 2,000.
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© RIA Novosti . Natalya Grebenyuk
Crowd numbers were estimated at “around 5,000” by a RIA Novosti correspondent at the scene. Police put the crowd at 2,000.
© RIA Novosti . Aleksandr Utkin / Go to the mediabankThere were some 300 arrests as the crowd gathered at Moscow’s Chistye Prudy region.
There were some 300 arrests as the crowd gathered at Moscow’s Chistye Prudy region.
© RIA Novosti . Aleksandr Utkin / Go to the mediabankA number of protestors called on the police to "be with the people."
A number of protestors called on the police to "be with the people."
© RIA Novosti . Vitaliy Belousov / Go to the mediabankOther carried "Down with the Party of Swindlers and Thieves!" banners, a reference to United Russia's popular, unofficial nickname.
Other carried "Down with the Party of Swindlers and Thieves!" banners, a reference to United Russia's popular, unofficial nickname.
© RIA Novosti . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabankCommunist Party supporters were among the protesters.
Communist Party supporters were among the protesters.
© RIA Novosti . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabank“I've never seen anything like this. A sea of pi**ed off young Russians, revved up and loud,” Foreign Policy magazine’s Moscow correspondent Julia Ioffe wrote on her Twitter account.
“I've never seen anything like this. A sea of pi**ed off young Russians, revved up and loud,” Foreign Policy magazine’s Moscow correspondent Julia Ioffe wrote on her Twitter account.
© RIA Novosti . Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankSome 120 people were also detained at a protest in St. Petersburg.
Some 120 people were also detained at a protest in St. Petersburg.
© RIA Novosti . Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankRussians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.
Russians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.
© RIA Novosti . Vadim Zhernov / Go to the mediabankRussians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.
Russians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.
© RIA Novosti . Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankRussians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.
Russians rally against alleged election fraud in downtown St. Petersburg.