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In many cities in Siberia, rallies had been agreed in advance. Picture: Valeria Altareva
Protests against corruption were held in many Siberian cities leading to a wave of detentions, as elsewhere in Russia. The actions were based on a film from Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of controlling a personal property empire through a shadowy network of nonprofit organisations.
Medvedev, who was president between 2008 and 2012, has not specifically replied to the claims, although his spokeswoman dismissed them. In many cities in Siberia, rallies had been agreed in advance, for example in Novosibirsk where there were 2,000 people on the streets.
But some 30 were detained in Vladivostok, among them pensioners and schoolchildren, at an unofficial rally of around 1,000. Pictures: Maria Borodina, VostokMedia
There were no detentions in Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, Barnaul, and Omsk , where the protests had an official go ahead.
But some 30 were detained in Vladivostok, among them pensioners and schoolchildren, at an unofficial rally of around 1,000. In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk two people were held, but soon released.
At least 10 were detained in Khabarovsk, including the organisers. They were students and were warned they could face problems in university.
In Chita, the rally was agreed with organisers smeared in brilliant green.
An 8 year old Svyatogor Buyanin records a video bluntly asking prime minister: Are you corrupt? His father Evgeny Buayanin on a single picket. Pictures: Evgeny Buyanin
In Ulan-Ude one man arranged a single picket, Evgeny Buyanin. Earlier his eight year old son Svyatogor had filmed a video appeal to Medvedev.
Little Svyatogor told the premier in his video: 'Recently, my father and me watched a film, it was about you and the title was 'He is not Dimon for you'. It tells how you have palaces, yachts, vineyards.
'And all it costs 70 billion roubles" - around $1.2 billion. My father said that this is a very large amount, and for this money you could feed Buryatia all year round. I wanted to ask you: is this true?
In Chita, the rally was agreed with organisers smeared in brilliant green. Pictures: Ksenia Zimina
'And also I wanted to ask. On the TV we hear that Russia is a very rich country. We have oil, gas and we sell this all. Then why people do not see this money?
'For example, my grandmother has a pension of 8,000 roubles, it is very little' - $140 a month.
In Novosibirsk where there were 2,000 people on the streets. About 1,000, including students and pensioners, came to the rally in Krasnoyarsk. Pictures: Dmitry Stein, Andrey Agafonov
Archeologists discovered a new stone bracelet, two sharp pins, a marble ring and fox tooth pendants.
Comments (6)
Unfortunately it is a Russian disease, nothing is "enough", Putin and Co. in their blindness and belief think they "earned it", and their out of touch mentality make them keep on also fostering and feeding a mentality among all the citizens that "if Kremlin gang is so corrupt, then why should I be so much better citizen", it is an evil circle, the leadership is simply too blind and are therefore digging their own grave.
Peaceful protests are every persons right absolutely. Please answer the people's questions. Here in the United States, our current Administration has to answer the people's questions about conflicts of interest as well.
It was always the youth, who has brought about great changes in Russia, in the past and I hope the rest of the Russian people follow, to step into the light and throw away the dogma of being in the third world, for once and for all.
We just impeached our Korean president Park Guen Hye, who had similar relationship, with her own Medev. 17 year ruling by Putin is akin to Mugabe, Mubarak and Kim Jung Un and his friend Trump is not doing so well either.
I hope this movement is a shot across the bow, to all of the Russian big shots in Moscow not to horde the people's opportunity and freedom to hostage.
As the Bob Dylan song sings, The Times They Are A-Changin'...they certainly are.