Thousands of people marched in the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday for the third weekend in a row, protesting at President Vladimir Putin’s handling of a regional political crisis that has sparked demonstrations.
THOUSANDS PROTESTED DETENTION OF REGIONAL GOVERNOR
Residents of Khabarovsk, around 6,110 km and seven time zones east of Moscow, are unhappy about the July 9 detention of the wider region’s popular regional governor, Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on murder charges he denies.
His detention, which his supporters say was politically motivated, has triggered more than two weeks of street protests, creating a headache for the Kremlin which is trying to troubleshoot a sharp coronavirus-induced drop in real incomes and keep a lid on unrest as the economy stutters.
City authorities estimated around 6,500 people had taken part. Local media put the number at up to 20,000 people.
The protests have highlighted anger among some in the far east over what they see as policies emanating from detached Moscow-based authorities on the other side of the country.