Putin warned his supporters that they should not tolerate any “independent actions” at polling stations.

Measures

against corruption

The opposition has vowed to send dozens of poll watchers to stations where they suspect there was fraud in the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections.

Indeed, the new drive for free and fair elections shows no sign of going away.

In a survey conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Center, 89 percent of those polled said they plan to join more rallies after Russia’s mid-winter break, which starts Friday.

This week in Moscow, protesters rallied outside a court where one protest leader, Sergei Udaltsov, was being tried. Dozens got in shoving matches with police inside a courthouse. Hundreds more rallied outside. They chanted “Shame on the corrupt court,” and that the judge was “A servant of Satan.”

More, small unsanctioned demonstrations planned for this week in Moscow.

Last Friday, Alexei Kudrin, a former finance minister and close friend of Putin, met with Putin and discussed the opposition movement. The next day, Kudrin spoke at the mass, opposition rally. He warned that, without dialogue, there could be revolution.

He was loudly booed.