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Opposition March Approved for Russia Day

City Hall has approved an opposition march to be held on Russia Day, June 12.

The march, to be held under the slogan "For the freedom of political prisoners, against the tormentors!" will take place along Ulitsa Bolshaya Yakimanka from Kaluzhskaya Ploshchad to Bolotnaya Ploshchad, the BBC's Russian service reported.

Up to 30,000 demonstrators are allowed to attend, with the event scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and last for two hours.

Alexei Maiorov, head of the city's department for regional security, said the event's organizers had requested permission for only a march, not a rally.

Leader of the Left Front movement Sergei Udaltsov said on Twitter that "this is the first time since 2011 that the Mayor's Office has immediately, without long negotiations, approved an opposition march."

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