(Image Source: Business Insider)

BY KIM ST. ONGE

This week marks some the biggest Russian demonstrations in years...and Prime Minister Vladamir Putin said Thursday-- there’s only one person to blame. KPTV gives us the details.

“Russian Prime Minister Vladamir Putin is blasting U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  He accuses her of encouraging and supporting protesters in Russia by describing Russia parliamentary as rigged.”

Clinton’s comments came after the December 4th parliamentary elections- giving Putin’s United Russia party 50% of the vote-- a steep decline from previous years.

But Clinton suggested there were irregularities in the vote, and CNN reports -- she called for a “full investigation” -- saying her concerns were “well-founded.”

And she wasn’t the only one. As we reported earlier this week, former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev is even calling for a new election.

As for Clinton’s call for an investigation, CNN anchor Carol Costello asks, is that even possible?

Phil Black: “Well, not given the response of the government so far. From the outset, the president, the prime minister here, have both said they believe the elections were fair and democratic, despite many Russians claiming to have witnessed breaches to the electoral process here.”

Meanwhile, protests are expected to continue, and BBC’s Steve Rosenberg suggests Putin is not giving the people the answers they want.  

“What we didn’t hear from him today was Mr. Putin’s suggestion there had been violations at the elections. We didn’t hear him suggesting there would be a rerun of the election; that’s what some opposition figures are demanding. We heard very strong language, anti-western language that we’ve heard from him in the past.”

To put it all in context -- Mr. Putin is seeking a return to the presidency in March. The Economist suggests, diffusing public discontent by attacking outsiders could be one of his strategies.

“There is a risk, say some observers, that Mr Putin will look for enemies outside the country or launch a war against liberal-minded civil society. He has always preferred money to repression as a way of staying in power. But he may have pushed himself into a corner.”

Opposition organizers have more major protests planned, with the first scheduled for December 10th near the Kremlin. According to Voice of America, authorities granted permits for 300 people to protest, but 23,000 people have already pledged to join through Facebook and a Russian social networking site.