The non-system opposition will mark Vladimir Putin's inauguration with a sanctioned procession and unauthorized open-air actions. The activists expect mass detentions and experts believe that the protest movement will overcome the “for fair elections” slogan.
The two-day protest campaign will be launched on May 6 with the walking of people with white ribbons – the symbol of the “for fair elections” campaign – in Manezhnaya Square. The action participants will try to close the ring around the Kremlin, like it was done in February on the Sadovoye Ring Road. The action participants call this action a “walk,” which does not require permission from the authorities, they believe. Until now all the attempts at walking in Red Square with white ribbons have been stopped by the police with detention of the participants. On the same day, the only action the permission for which has been submitted to the city mayor’s office will be held – the March of Millions rally and procession. On May 7, the day of Putin’s inauguration, the protest campaign will be continued by another “walk” of people with white protest attributes, but without banners, one of the coordinators of the action Sergei Belyayev said. Some people at 11:00 will come to the Boulevard Ring road, and those ready to be detained by police – on the supposed presidential motorcade route - Kutuzovsky Prospekt – Novy Arbat Street – Znamenka Street.
Putin pays attention to ecological claims to TNK-BP
The issue of claims to the Russian-British JV TNK-BP on which RF Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev reported at the beginning of the week, has been raised by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at a government meeting. Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko shared the view of the minister of natural resources who believes that the company economizes on the environment safety. TNK-BP, owned on a parity basis by British Petroleum and the Russian billionaires’ consortium AAR, has denied all the claims.
VEDOMOSTI