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| Thousands surge into Moscow to challenge Kremlin | Thousands surge into Moscow to challenge Kremlin |
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| Tens of thousands of people have rallied in central Moscow in a show of anger at alleged electoral fraud. | Tens of thousands of people have rallied in central Moscow in a show of anger at alleged electoral fraud. |
| They passed a resolution "not to give a single vote to Vladimir Putin" at next year's presidential election. | They passed a resolution "not to give a single vote to Vladimir Putin" at next year's presidential election. |
| Protest leader Alexei Navalny told the crowd to loud applause that Russians would no longer tolerate corruption. | Protest leader Alexei Navalny told the crowd to loud applause that Russians would no longer tolerate corruption. |
| "I see enough people here to take the Kremlin and [Government House] right now but we are peaceful people and won't do that just yet," he said. | "I see enough people here to take the Kremlin and [Government House] right now but we are peaceful people and won't do that just yet," he said. |
| Demonstrators say parliamentary elections on 4 December, which were won by Mr Putin's party, were rigged. The government denies the accusation. | Demonstrators say parliamentary elections on 4 December, which were won by Mr Putin's party, were rigged. The government denies the accusation. |
| A sea of demonstrators stretched along Sakharov Avenue, a few miles from the Kremlin, in sub-zero temperatures. | A sea of demonstrators stretched along Sakharov Avenue, a few miles from the Kremlin, in sub-zero temperatures. |
| Rallies were taking place across Russia, with the first big protest in the far eastern city of Vladivostok. | Rallies were taking place across Russia, with the first big protest in the far eastern city of Vladivostok. |
| At least 28,000 people turned out in the capital, according to the Russian interior ministry, but rally organisers said the true number was around 120,000. | At least 28,000 people turned out in the capital, according to the Russian interior ministry, but rally organisers said the true number was around 120,000. |
| 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 Vladimir Putin's party - but with a much smaller share of the overall vote. | They are demanding a re-run of the poll, which was won by Vladimir Putin's party - but with a much smaller share of the overall vote. |
| As people braved the freezing temperatures, the Moscow mayor's office was reportedly laying on tea and simple hot food from field kitchens. | As people braved the freezing temperatures, the Moscow mayor's office was 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. |
| At one point, police manning metal detectors briefly closed access to the avenue, Interfax news agency reports. | At one point, police manning metal detectors briefly closed access to the avenue, Interfax news agency reports. |
| 'We're the power ' | 'We're the power ' |
| In Moscow, protesters clutched white balloons and banners with the slogan "For Free Elections" as the rally began. | 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. | This is a huge, mass movement of Muscovites, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from the scene. |
| Sakharov Avenue is packed with protesters - tens of thousands of people who have taken to the streets to demand fresh parliamentary elections and much of their anger is directed at Vladimir Putin. | Sakharov Avenue is packed with protesters - tens of thousands of people who have taken to the streets to demand fresh parliamentary elections and much of their anger is directed at Vladimir Putin. |
| There are placards declaring "don't vote for Putin in the presidential elections", and many in the crowd are blowing red whistles - their attempt to blow the whistle on Mr Putin's decade in power. | There are placards declaring "don't vote for Putin in the presidential elections", and many in the crowd are blowing red whistles - their attempt to blow the whistle on Mr Putin's decade in power. |
| The large turnout today will keep up the pressure on the Kremlin. The authorities have already promised limited political reforms but so far they have shown no intention of cancelling the results of the recent parliamentary vote which is widely believed to have been rigged in favour of Vladimir Putin's party. | The large turnout today will keep up the pressure on the Kremlin. The authorities have already promised limited political reforms but so far they have shown no intention of cancelling the results of the recent parliamentary vote which is widely believed to have been rigged in favour of Vladimir Putin's party. |
| The resolution passed at Saturday's rally built on demands expressed at an earlier rally in Moscow on 10 December. | The resolution passed at Saturday's rally built on demands expressed at an earlier rally in Moscow on 10 December. |
| Another new point was a call for the creation of a new election monitoring body - the Moscow Voters' Association - to investigate ballot-rigging. | Another new point was a call for the creation of a new election monitoring body - the Moscow Voters' Association - to investigate ballot-rigging. |
| Mr Navalny, a prominent anti-corruption blogger who was jailed for 15 days over a street protest just after the elections, condemned Russia's leaders as "swindlers and thieves". | Mr Navalny, a prominent anti-corruption blogger who was jailed for 15 days over a street protest just after the elections, condemned Russia's leaders as "swindlers and thieves". |
| He listed victims of injustice including imprisoned former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in custody. | He listed victims of injustice including imprisoned former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in custody. |
| "Who's the power here?" he shouted to cries of "We are" from the crowd. | "Who's the power here?" he shouted to cries of "We are" from the crowd. |
| "We are peaceful people but we can't put up with this forever." | |
| He promised that the next protest rally would be a "million strong". | He promised that the next protest rally would be a "million strong". |
| An eclectic line-up of 22 speakers were expected at the Moscow rally, with rival opposition figures addressing a crowd which mixed liberals with nationalists. | An eclectic line-up of 22 speakers were expected at the Moscow rally, with rival opposition figures addressing a crowd which mixed liberals with nationalists. |
| Alexei Kudrin, who recently resigned after serving a decade as Mr Putin's finance minister, was booed when he took the microphone to call for early parliamentary elections and urge a dialogue between the Kremlin and the opposition. | Alexei Kudrin, who recently resigned after serving a decade as Mr Putin's finance minister, was booed when he took the microphone to call for early parliamentary elections and urge a dialogue between the Kremlin and the opposition. |
| "There needs to be a platform for dialogue, otherwise there will be a revolution and we lose the chance that we have today for a peaceful transformation," he said. | "There needs to be a platform for dialogue, otherwise there will be a revolution and we lose the chance that we have today for a peaceful transformation," he said. |
| In a video message to the crowd, Russian rock musician Yury Shevchuk urged protesters to maintain their dignity and avoid "competing in hatred for the authorities". | In a video message to the crowd, Russian rock musician Yury Shevchuk urged protesters to maintain their dignity and avoid "competing in hatred for the authorities". |
| Some 50,000 people rallied on 10 December, in what was then biggest anti-government protest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. | Some 50,000 people rallied on 10 December, in what was then biggest anti-government protest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| 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. |
| 'Flawed elections' | 'Flawed elections' |
| 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 the Pacific port of 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 | In the Pacific port of 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 |
| Rallies against ballot-rigging were reported across Russia's time zones on Saturday by Interfax | Rallies against ballot-rigging were reported across Russia's time zones on Saturday by Interfax |
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| Are you in Russia? Are you taking part in a rally? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Russia? Are you taking part in a rally? Send us your comments using the form below. |