MOSCOW (AP) — Authorities in Moscow today gave permission for another major protest rally this weekend, but one of the organizers warned that the turnout may be smaller than the huge throngs that came to previous demonstrations.
A wave of rallies in Moscow attracted crowds as big as 100,000, a stunning show of public opposition to Vladimir Putin. But after Putin’s election on Sunday to a new six-year term as president, the opposition’s ability to maintain that momentum is in doubt.
Putin won nearly 64 percent of the vote but independent observers described widespread violations.
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