Protesters target Putin for their 'Russian Winter'

More than 40,000 Russians have signed up online to protest in Moscow on Saturday against a disputed election, dismissing Kremlin promises of political change.

TENS of thousands of people fed up with Vladimir Putin's domination of Russian politics and his perceived arrogance towards them jammed one of Moscow's broadest avenues to protest, vowing to keep building the pressure until the long-time leader is driven from power.
''Russia without Putin!'' the crowd chanted as it protested against alleged fraud during recent parliamentary elections in which Prime Minister Putin's United Russia Party garnered nearly 50 per cent of the vote.
Saturday's demonstration, the largest in Russia's capital since the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, was a direct rebuff of Mr Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev, both of whom in recent days had sought to mollify critics by promising political reforms.

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For the first time, two high-level figures connected to the Kremlin were at the demonstration - former finance minister Aleksei Kudrin expressed his support for many of the protesters' demands and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who has said he will run against Mr Putin in the spring election, was also in the crowd.
Many protesters said they were simply tired of the autocratic attitude of Mr Putin, who served as president for eight years from 2000 and is seeking a return to the presidency in a March election.
''In 2012, we will clear the Kremlin of swindlers and thieves,'' vowed opposition leader and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov.
The rally was held along Sakharov Avenue, named for dissident nuclear scientist Andrei Sakharov. Thousands of people also protested in cities and towns across Russia.
The protesters included young and old, who sacrificed Christmas shopping, family brunches, skating and skiing excursions to join the latest vote fraud protest in what some have begun calling the ''Russian Winter'', an allusion to the ''Arab Spring'' in the Middle East.
Winds of change have been blowing through the country since the December 4 poll, which was marred by allegations of foul play.
Activists appeared especially disturbed by recent remarks from Mr Putin in which he compared the white ribbons worn by street protesters to condoms.
One man carried a poster of Putin with a huge condom wrapped around his neck. Others carried posters of Putin next to such late dictators as Muammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong-il.
Protest leaders estimated the crowd at 120,000 compared with police estimates of 29,000.
Source:http://www.smh.com.au/world/protesters-target-putin-for-their-russian-winter-20111225-1p9j8.html