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| Thousands surge into Moscow for vote-rigging protest | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people have gathered in central Moscow to protest against allegedly rigged parliamentary polls. | |
| A sea of demonstrators stretched along Sakharov Avenue, a few miles from the Kremlin, in sub-zero temperatures. | |
| Rallies are taking place across Russia, with the first big protest in the far eastern city of Vladivostok. | |
| In the capital, Moscow, organisers expect some 50,000 people to gather for speeches by opposition figures. | |
| President Dmitry Medvedev announced political reforms this week, but many demonstrators say it is not enough. | President Dmitry Medvedev announced political reforms this week, but many demonstrators say it is not enough. |
| They are demanding a re-run of the poll, which was won by the party of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin - but with a much smaller share of the overall vote. | They are demanding a re-run of the poll, which was won by the party of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin - but with a much smaller share of the overall vote. |
| The Moscow mayor's office is reportedly laying on tea and simple hot food from field kitchens. | |
| Security is tight in the city, with 40 busloads of riot police lined up along the avenue, according to Russian media. | Security is tight in the city, with 40 busloads of riot police lined up along the avenue, according to Russian media. |
| 'On the backfoot' | 'On the backfoot' |
| In Moscow, protesters clutched white balloons and banners with the slogan "For Free Elections" as the rally began. | |
| This is a huge, mass movement of Muscovites, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from the scene. | |
| Saturday's rally in Moscow - authorised by the authorities - has been organised by a coalition of opposition forces. | |
| Some 47,000 people have already vowed on Facebook to attend, and another 10,000 say they may join the demonstration. | Some 47,000 people have already vowed on Facebook to attend, and another 10,000 say they may join the demonstration. |
| Among those due to attend the event is prominent anti-Kremlin blogger Alexei Navalny, following his release from prison after taking part in another demonstration in Moscow on 10 December. | |
| The 22 speakers expected in Moscow include Mr Putin's presidential challenger Mikhail Prokhorov and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. | The 22 speakers expected in Moscow include Mr Putin's presidential challenger Mikhail Prokhorov and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. |
| Apart from politicians, the eclectic line-up includes rock musician Yuri Shevchuk, speaking by video link, detective fiction writer Boris Akunin, Urals anti-heroin campaigner Yevgeny Roizman and satirist Viktor Shenderovich. | Apart from politicians, the eclectic line-up includes rock musician Yuri Shevchuk, speaking by video link, detective fiction writer Boris Akunin, Urals anti-heroin campaigner Yevgeny Roizman and satirist Viktor Shenderovich. |
| Organisers said as many as 50,000 people rallied on 10 December, in what was the biggest anti-government protest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. | Organisers said as many as 50,000 people rallied on 10 December, in what was the biggest anti-government protest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| The opposition has been encouraged by that success, forcing the Kremlin on the backfoot. | The opposition has been encouraged by that success, forcing the Kremlin on the backfoot. |
| On Thursday, Mr Medvedev proposed to hold direct elections of regional governors and simplify the procedure for registering political parties, but protesters say the concessions do not go far enough, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says. | On Thursday, Mr Medvedev proposed to hold direct elections of regional governors and simplify the procedure for registering political parties, but protesters say the concessions do not go far enough, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says. |
| However, one of the main problems for the opposition is that there is no single leader able to unite it, our correspondent adds. | However, one of the main problems for the opposition is that there is no single leader able to unite it, our correspondent adds. |
| According to the official results of the elections to Russia's Duma, the ruling United Russia party saw its share of the vote fall from 64% to 49%, though it remains easily the biggest party. | According to the official results of the elections to Russia's Duma, the ruling United Russia party saw its share of the vote fall from 64% to 49%, though it remains easily the biggest party. |
| But there is a widespread view, fuelled by mobile phone videos and accounts on internet social networking sites, that there was wholesale election fraud and that Mr Putin's party cheated its way to victory. | But there is a widespread view, fuelled by mobile phone videos and accounts on internet social networking sites, that there was wholesale election fraud and that Mr Putin's party cheated its way to victory. |
| The Kremlin denies the claim. | The Kremlin denies the claim. |
| In Vladivostok, demonstrators carried posters calling for Mr Putin to be put on trial and regional MP Artyom Samsonov said the election results should be cancelled. | |
| Are you in Russia? Are you planning to take part in a rally? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Russia? Are you planning to take part in a rally? Send us your comments using the form below. |