2000 angry protestors do not represent the viewpoints of 142 million russian citizens. If Mr. Kasparov is so vehemently anti-Putin, then why doesn't he just run for President in next year's elections? Given the fact that Putin's Kremlin has overseen a dramatic rise in wealth among the general Russian population, shouldn't these people be celebrating their new found middle class status in the country rather than denouncing it? I believe that kasparov's intentions have nothing to do with "democracy". Perhaps he is in league with Berezovsky in London to violently overthrow the government and that is what the Kremlin worries about most. Thus, they are forced to use excessive force against protestors. It is quite easy to gather a few homeless bums and drunks and pay them money to stand around and yell for a few hours.

Chris, Vancouver, Canada

Hundreds of bible prophecies have come true. You in Russia had better get informed about the prophecies still to be fulfilled. The Book of Ezekiel, Chapter 38 & 39 in the Bible speaks of your utter demise when you along with Persia and a few other muslim nations decide to invade Israel, which appears as if it will happen very soon.

Or maybe you should read the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 17 in which Damascus Syria, where you have military bases, will be utterly destroyed, which is a situation that also seems very imminent. Think it's all a fairy tale? Do your research. You will be shocked if you take the time to adequately research this.

Bill Graham, Bethlehem, Israel

I think we see belorussian model of democracy. Russian goverment support Lukashenko same yaers and develop methods for disapearing goverment oponents. All future russian goverment steps we can see same ears ago in belarus with russian supporting. Now it will be more invisible, course they have expence. I think for europe important now support ukrain in their demokracy.

Alexander, Minsk, Belarus

Hello!
1. 2,000 people is not represent Russian citizenry
2. Mr. Kasparov break the low, low must be strictly observed and people low abiding

Log_off, Moscow, Russia

How is The USA and UK torturing and killing and jailing those of Russia's own citizens? Wake up! Putin is a despot. 2000 angry Russians today, 200,000 tomorrow, 20,000,000 next month. Its the people with no voice that are leading the charge, not the UK or US.

Mike, Staatsburg, NY

Democracy. I don't believe in it. Democracy at the expense of poor countries and colonized territories is one of the frauds created by anlo-caxs. Let's see which countries promote democracy. Those countries which somehow sometime have colonized and occupied other parts of the world. Britain with just 50 mln of population occupied half of the world. USA which have killed millions and millions indians. I wanna too to occupy 50 percent of the world and promote democracy to keep my power as long as possible.
I see how B and USA worry if some country show a little success in development. Then there is huge pressure would be to slow down their development especially those who don't agree with saxons.

uran, bishkek, kyrgyzstan

2000 people in Moscow out of 147 million people in Russia and that will lead to political turmoil. Mr. Kasparov?. what a great nonsense.

Tomo, Tokyo, Japan

The Other Russia is, as Putin claims, a tool of Washington DC and London seeking to destabilise Russia. Look at its foreign membership list and you will find The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) as well as The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. These are undisputed fronts for the New World Order and their quest for global domination. You will also find the Ambassadors of the UK and Canada. These sort care little for democracy but do care very much about controlling the worlds natural resources, including its people. It really is that simple. Putin turned on the oligarchs as well as the energy contractors and got more for Russia, which the oligarchs and the British Monarchy did not like. Mossadegh did the same for Iran and he was ousted after an Anglo-American controlled "revolution". They call it democracy, but in fact it is simply greed and manipulation of our leaders (who are chosen for us at Bilderberg meetings).

Chris, Manchester,

Mr.Kasparov still is a great chess player. I live in Moscow, and I'd've never known about this meeting of 2000 people in Easter Week, unless some of the "opposition leaders" had confrontations with police. I neither gave my voice for Putin nor for "Edinaya Rossiya", but nevertheless I think this is the best choice, and we had it and still have. And I don't need democracy for robbers a-la 1990. I live my own life far from politics, but some articles do disturb me so much, that I've written it here to say I feel living in free country now.

Tatiana, Moscow,

Ok, you told us the same stuff about Saddam Hussein.. you convinced the people of the world that he is a bad guy and you brought hime down more for ad hominem reasons and now that iraq is in the throes of Choas (and worse is surely yet to come) you divert your attention to other issues elsewhere on other people. Ok Mr. Putin is not good neither is Mr Blair Bush,... But why on earth is it that only Mr Putin is brought under the light. Personally, I'd prefer a dictator on his people to a dictator on Others. Putin with Saddam if you want should be put in the same bin but tell me where to put Bush, Blair whom nobody welcomes them outside their own borders.. Oh Plizz, be fair!!

Saber, Marseille, France

Hypocrites---Why not talk about Tony Blair as a LIAR?instead of Mr. Putin as a dictator. 2,000 people demonstrated and you make a fuss about it. Mr. Yelstin was a good president to the west, because you were able to STEAL everything from Russia.Today Mr. Putin has his house in order,and you can't steal no more,so he becomes a dictator.You're always hypocrites.God bless Mr. Putin.

ed, amsterdam, holland

operations in Iraq. The RAF Hercules transport aircraft that was shot down by enemy ground fire in January 2005 west of Baghdad with the loss of all ten on board also had a special forces involvement. One of the dead was an SAS signals expert.

hans, london,

Rebrov, criticism by Bush is part of the problem, not the solution. Russians hate American bullishness and arrogance and any perceived interference from Washington will serve only to force Russians into the arms of their 'strong', 'protective' president. Okay, so his record on democracy is poor, bu people vote wth their pockets and right now the average Russian is financially better off than ever before.

Mike, Moscow,

I have never seen such massive coverage for such small protests. All over the world, especially in the U.S., the center for the media, much larger protests take place, where the police brutality is a bad, if not worse, and mostly nothing is said of it, at most a few lines in a local paper. It seems it really does matter who the target of protest is.

Dr. Ron James, Montana, USA

I think you need a reporter who actually has some idea of what Russia is/was/wishes to be. A motley collection of protestors like this is hardly indicative of the majority, who are happy to have stability in any guise. Take a look at the history of Russia, it's always been a centralise/dfuedal state, why expect change when the majority accpet that?

Martin Charles, Kazan,

Yes, very sofisticated comments here. I liked #3 (comparing Putin to Mugabe - This is really it!)
But do you european dudes realize that it is the end of your european world? Because when Putin joins Arabs they will create such a turmoil that no one will be happy ever after!

Andrey, Vancouver,

Yeah, Rebrov, whatever... Lets do some math. Out 12 million people in Moscow 2000 came to protest and you expect Putin to be scared and expect "more turmoil". Almost a million in UK were protesting against war in Iraq and Tony Blair DIDN'T CARE a thing about it. So what are your expectations on Putin if UK goverment ignores much larger protests? Or you have one standard for Russia and another for UK? Another fact: thousands were arested in New York three years ago during anti-Bush demonstartions. Did you write anything about American "old-guard"? I bet you didn't. So why on the earth there is so much attention to these protests that were organized and sponsored by Berezovsky and held by National Bolshevik Party? Oh, here is the answer: because anyone who is against Putin, even a Bolshevik-Nazi is a dear friend of the West. At the same time West wants Putin to help in Iran and North Korea. Well, that's simply out question, you can't be a friend to Russia and spit on it at the same time.

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

Bush must take some of the responsibility for this. Putin is able to get away with calling his country democratic because the neocons in Washington have gutted that word of its original meaning. In practical terms, taking into account Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Iraq, 'democracy' now appears to mean 'on our side'.

michael ibison, Austin, Texas

Yesterday it was Mugabe, and today it is Mr. Putin. Who will be next? I am sure it will be no one from the West because they are all directed, and anointed by God himself to lead the world. Western leaders do not make mistakes, let alone abuse their powers, nor seek to aggrandise power to themselves. They listen to their people, they do what their people asked of them, and when they are in doubt, they differ to the people. Ah, the blessings of democracy! May we in the west live, forever, blissfully, under the reigns of our God anonnted leaders. And may the unanointed, Mugabe and Putin, mislead their dissatisfied countrymen, until they find favour with our God, who may grant them democracy, so that they will live happily ever after.

H. Baffoe-Harding, W. Los Angeles, Calfornia

It's been known for some time that Putin is installing "the old ways" a leopard does't change its spots. It's galling that people like Bush and Blair are not more forthwrite in criticising this dictator. I can only see turmoil ahead for Russia with "The old guard".

Rebrov, glasgow, UK

I realise that Hungary is of absolutely no consequence but the goons of Putin are mere pussycats compared to the savagery of the Hungarian fist of the Party who learned from imported Israeli police how to shoot rubber bullets with steel cores and vipers as they are called in Hungarian these being no mere venomous snakes but steel cored rubber truncheons. As Kasparov said Russia is Zimbabwe and Belorus, Hungary is worse Sudan and Haiti. About all these failed states can do is play chess. The crime is of The West, after the war Germany was denazified but Russia and her slave Slobovvias were never decommunised.
It is absolutely impossible to erect democracy while
supporters of tyranny are still running the show. This was done in Germany Italy Spain Portugal Japan and Chile as well as Argentina which had right wing dictatorships, why the hell wasnt it done not after a mere decade or two of Fascism but not after half or nearly a full century of Communist tyranny?

Alexander Jablanczy, Odena, Canada

I'm not sure I understand.

The man has an 80% approval rating, and people are still breaking police lines and facing beatings to show their UNapproval

I mean, if we havent removed bush with his abyssal approval ratings, what chance does the 20% have in Russia?

Matticus, Wareham, USA, MA

"Mr Kasparov accuses Mr Putin of crushing democratic freedoms and of turning Russia into a police state. "

I hope Russia the best. I want the people of Russia to have the same freedoms I have. You have a right to protest. Fight for your freedom of equal voice. I want to see a democratic Russia. With freedom of speech. Best wishes and fight on.

Pat christus, kansas city, usa

Putin will go ashtrayed! sometimes soon!
people's power is much more powerful than his power!

toannang, c, c

Putin will go ashtrayed! people power is much more powerful than his power!

toannang

toannang, c, c