Up to 1,000 people lined up outside President Vladimir Putin’s official reception office near the Kremlin on Saturday to submit written complaints on social and environmental issues, in what was reported as one of the largest opposition-linked gatherings since early 2024.
Public demonstrations against Putin and Russia’s war in Ukraine have become increasingly rare amid sweeping laws that effectively ban criticism of the military. Scores of people have been fined, imprisoned or forced into exile for their anti-war views since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Organizers of the latest “mass filing of petitions,” which included former presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin and opposition figure Yulia Galyamina, emphasized this was not a protest but a legal form of civic engagement that cannot be banned.
Eyewitness accounts and independent media outlets such as Sotavision, RusNews and Activatica reported lines stretching 70-115 meters (230-380 feet) at their peak. One of the organizers told the Agentstvo investigative news outlet on condition of anonymity that 400 people stood in line at one point during the 5.5-hour event.
Estimates ranged between 800 and 1,000 participants by the end of the day, although counts could not be independently verified.
Their appeals ranged from the preservation of green spaces and architectural landmarks, to opposition to toll roads, demolition projects and cuts to social benefits. Some groups reportedly submitted hundreds of pages of signatures at a time.
“Public anger and the desire to participate in the city’s life can’t be banned,” Galyamina wrote on Telegram.
Participants noted that the Kremlin reception office processed submissions faster than usual, apparently to prevent long lines from forming.
Organizers said Saturday’s turnout was significantly higher than smaller petition campaigns this year, including against animal euthanasia legislation and zoning changes.
The last comparable turnout was during the previous presidential elections in March 2024, when opposition activists urged voters to line up at polling stations at noon in a campaign dubbed “Noon Against Putin.”
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