Massive Anti-Corruption Protests In Russia

New York Times: Across Russia, Protesters Heed Navalny’s Anti-Kremlin Rallying Cry

MOSCOW — A wave of antigovernment demonstrations rolled across Russia on Monday as thousands of people gathered in scores of cities to protest corruption and political stagnation despite vigorous attempts by the authorities to thwart or ban the rallies.

The police detained the architect of the national protests, the Kremlin critic Aleksei A. Navalny, as he emerged from his apartment building to attend a rally that he had forced into the center of Moscow. There were scattered reports of hundreds of detentions elsewhere, too.

The protests were the broadest antigovernment outpouring in Russia in years, with people in more cities heeding Mr. Navalny’s call than his last series of demonstrations in March.

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WNU Editor: I was asked yesterday ago by a friend in Saint Petersburg who wanted to know if I thought this day of protest in Russia would be a bust. My answer .... I hope not .... but my gut was telling me that tens of thousands were going to show up. By the looks of it .... tens of thousands did show up. Will these protests continue .... my answer is yes. In the past Russian corruption was an issue that most Russians just shrugged off .... accepted by many to a part of the culture. No more now .... especially among the young. Kremlin critic Aleksei A. Navalny's videos on corruption within Putin's inner circle has attracted millions of views .... and it has generated (justifiably) a lot of anger and criticism. Will this be enough to defeat President Putin in next year's Presidential election .... probably not. But the people who are protesting today will be the leaders of Russia in 20 or 30 years .... and they have no appetite for this type of government or being ruled by someone like Putin.

Update: You know a demonstration is big in Russia when even RT cannot avoid it .... Dozens detained in Moscow as protesters show up at unauthorized location (VIDEOS, PHOTOS) (RT).

Update #2: Ilya Yashin was arrested today (I used a picture of his arrest on my World News Briefs post this morning). Mark my words .... this guy has a very good chance of running the government in 25 years. His support among those who are under 35 is huge. And while the media focus is on Russian opposition leaders like Aleksei A. Navalny (and deservedly so) .... it is the younger leaders who are carrying these protests forward.

More News On Today's Massive Anti-Corruption Protests In Russia

Tens of thousands rally across Russia in protests against corruption -- Washington Post
Anti-Kremlin protesters fill Russian streets, Putin critic Navalny detained -- Reuters
Thousands rally across Russia in new challenge to Kremlin -- ABC News/AP
Russia protests: Hundreds detained at opposition rallies -- BBC
Defiant Navalny Moves Protest To Kremlin's Doorstep Ahead Of Anticorruption Rallies -- RFE
Far From Moscow, Thousands Turn Out To Protest Putin In Siberia's Capital -- NPR
Over 1,000 people detained as police fire tear gas at protesters shouting 'Putin is a thief' during anti-corruption rallies across Russia after opposition leader is arrested -- Daily Mail
Hundreds Detained at Anti-Putin Protests, Including Navalny -- Bloomberg