Thousands rally in Moscow against Putin election fraud

Moscow, Dec 25 (ANI): Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital to protest against the alleged rigging of parliamentary elections, expressing growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule.

The protesters in Moscow passed a resolution "not to give a single vote to Putin" at next year's presidential elections.

Protest leader Alexei Navalny told the crowd to loud applause that Russians would no longer tolerate corruption, The BBC reports.

"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," Navalny said.

According to the report, on Saturday, 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.

According to protest organizers, around 120,000 people turned out in the capital.

Demonstrators say that parliamentary elections on 4 December, which were won by Putin's party, were rigged. The government, however, denies the accusation.

A spokesman for Putin later said that "the majority of the population" supported him, describing the protesters as a minority. (ANI)