Huge vote fraud rally to go ahead

Russian authorities caved into the opposition today and allowed a mass protest in Moscow over claims of election fraud.

The decision to sanction a rally of about 30,000 people tomorrow in a square over the river from the Kremlin, follows days of demonstrations since parliamentary polls.

Previously a maximum of only 300 people had been allowed to gather and activists had said they feared bloodshed if the Moscow protest was broken up. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party lost support in Sunday's polls but still held onto a majority in the Duma with just under 50 per cent of the vote.

However, opposition parties and international observers said the result was tainted by vote-rigging and the ruling party's control over the media and government machine.

Protests in Moscow drew thousands, but were brutally dispersed by police. About 1,000 people have been arrested. More than 30,000 have now signed up to a Facebook page for tomorrow's event, and similar rallies are planned in cities across Russia, demanding an investigation into vote fraud and calling for a new vote.

Moscow deputy mayor Alexander Gorbenko said the rally in the square was allowed but gave a stern warning that police would stop any attempt to hold a march. Some protest organisers insisted they would gather in a different location nearer the Kremlin, raising the prospect of violence.

The authorities have put nearly 50,000 police and about 2,000 paramilitary forces on the streets, backed by water cannon.

Mr Putin denies vote fraud and has accused the US of encouraging protesters in order to weaken Russia, adding: "It's unacceptable when foreign money is pumped into election processes."