The protest rallies in December were a response to two domestic events: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's crude declaration on Sept. 24 that he plans to seek a third presidential term and blatant fraud in the Dec. 4 State...

... British rule in India and Malawi and brought down authoritarian regimes in Chile, the Philippines and Portugal. On the surface, most of these cases seem so different from present-day Russia as to be irrelevant to the success or failure of the current protests against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's rule and the protesters' call for free, fair and competitive elections. But which differences are important? The immediate outcomes of nonviolent movements for political change are not decided by macrofactors...

Pro-democracy protests in Russia are being organized by writers, journalists, artists and other cultural figures. There are few businesspeople among them who understand the concept of risk-adjusted returns. Pro-democracy protests in Russia...

As Vladimir Putin cruises to an assured presidential victory, Russia's resilient protest movement has to demonstrate that it has the strategy to convert street energy into meaningful political change beyond March 4. As Vladimir Putin cruises to an assured presidential victory, Russia's resilient protest movement...

The most popular protest song in Moscow today comes from burly men in blue berets, unlikely heroes of a peaceful middle-class movement challenging the strongman rule of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. MOSCOW — The most popular protest...

Bone-chilling cold did little to lessen the spirit of protesters calling for political reform as tens of thousands took to the streets of Moscow on Saturday in a show of strength that does not appear to have diminished. Bone-chilling cold did little to lessen the...

As Moscow braces itself for this weekend's street demonstration against disputed December elections, Russian businessmen on Wednesday expressed their disquiet with the protest movement and the goals articulated by its leaders. As Moscow braces itself for this weekend's street demonstration against disputed December elections, Russian businessmen on Wednesday expressed their disquiet with the protest movement...

A protest drive meant to show support for fair elections is planned for Sunday that will attempt to create a complete circle of cars on the Garden Ring Road. A protest drive meant to show support for fair elections is planned for Sunday that will attempt...

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine — Anti-Western activists in southern Ukraine protested the arrival of a U.S. Navy ship that will take part in joint military drills. Some 100 mostly elderly protesters rallied in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol against Ukraine's cooperation with the United States and NATO. The activists burned...

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov agreed on Tuesday to implement a series of demands put forth by opposition protesters if he is elected president in the March 4 election. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov agreed Tuesday to implement a series of demands put forth by opposition protesters, if he is elected president in the March 4 election. Zyuganov signed...

U.S. Senator John McCain has again angered supporters of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin by describing Russia's nascent protest movement as an extension of the Arab Spring uprisings that have shaken and toppled governments across the Middle East. U.S. Senator John McCain has again angered supporters of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin by describing Russia's...

Organizers of Saturday's opposition rally gathered Tuesday to set an agenda for the mass march — the third major protest since the disputed State Duma elections in December. Organizers of Saturday’s opposition rally gathered Tuesday to set an agenda for the mass march — the third major protest since the disputed State Duma elections in December...

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov flexed his strongman muscles Tuesday, saying he would throw all the protesters who recently took to the streets in Moscow into jail as they represent the "enemies of Russia." Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov flexed his strongman muscles Tuesday, saying he would throw all the...

More than 1,000 prisoners in Kyrgyzstan have sewn their lips together, a grotesque act inmates describe as a protest over their dismal conditions, but which authorities blame on organized criminal gangs who resent attempts to break the power they wield in prisons. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — More than 1,000 prisoners in Kyrgyzstan have sewn their lips together...

Billionaire and presidential hopeful Mikhail Prokhorov — who has presented himself as the candidate for the urban middle class — has unveiled a 15-page presidential platform that closely reflects the demands made by protesters at two massive opposition rallies last month. Billionaire and presidential hopeful Mikhail Prokhorov — who has presented himself as the candidate for the urban middle class — has unveiled a 15-page presidential platform that...

... sleep! Tomorrow I'm going for a [facial] peeling, then to the meeting and then shopping." All three words — peeling, meeting, and shopping — were in fact the English words, rendered in Cyrillic. What this reveals is that the Russian protests — called митинги — are no longer just for old people, radical extremists or jobless, unskilled and wild youth. They are for sociable people who have time and money not just for politics, but also for shopping and, yes, even cosmetic...

Russia's most famous prisoner, former Yukos owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky is urging the opposition to continue with its "escalation of nonviolent protest," and not to give up until its demands are filled. Russia’s most famous prisoner, former Yukos owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky, is urging the opposition to continue with its “escalation of nonviolent protests”...

... four rallies are planned. The largest will be the opposition march from the Oktyabrskaya metro station toward Bolotnaya Ploshchad, followed by a short rally. It will start at 1 p.m. Some 27,000 people have signed up on Facebook to take part in the protest under anti-Putin slogans to demand fair elections. It will be the third mass rally sanctioned by city authorities since accusations of widespread violations during December's State Duma elections sparked public outrage. On Thursday, about 6,000...

Organizers of the recent election protests skipped a meeting Thursday put together by senior United Russia party leaders to open a dialogue over the turbulence unsettling the country's political establishment. Organizers of the recent election protests...

Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny met Wednesday with a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to discuss the current situation surrounding opposition protests. Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny met Wednesday with a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to discuss the current situation surrounding opposition protests, Interfax reported. Navalny met with church spokesman Vsevolod Chaplin...