Opposition Pose Threat and Fresh Challenge to Russian Dictatorship Since the Fall of Communism

Democracy, elections and voting at Democracy Chronicles

After election setback, anti-Putin opposition takes struggle to the provinces

The Christian Science Monitor

By Fred Weir, Correspondent

Moscow – Russia’s anti-Kremlin opposition is shifting gears and going local. After failing to pose a powerful enough challenge in Moscow to derail Vladimir Putin’s drive for a third presidential term and disrupt the Kremlin-controlled government.

Russian opposition activists ease hunger strike

Opposition activists in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan Thursday toned down their near month-long hunger strike against allegedly rigged polls but vowed to stage a mass weekend protest. Former mayoral candidate Oleg Shein and several supporters have refused food for 27 days, in what has turned.