(Image source: Ridus.ru)

BY BLAKE HANSON

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered Saturday in Russia in what was the biggest protest since the fall of the USSR. Protesters are irked over alleged fraud in recent parliamentary elections, which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s party won. Fox News reports...

“There are tens of thousands of people pouring into a Moscow square this morning and they’re protesting widespread reports of election fraud. Marching against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his party. The protests also breaking out in other Russian cities, the demonstrators are demanding a new election and freedom for anyone arrested in protests this week.”

The Washington Post says this all started after reports of ballot stuffing in the December 4th election. Putin was president from 2000 to 2008 and has been prime minister since then. He now says he’ll run for president again in March -- leaving little hope for an quick end to what the Post calls an authoritarian government.

So what impact might these protests actually have? A BBC correspondent offers this analysis.

“It should not be underestimated what a significant moment this is. It may not deal a fatal blow to Mr Putin's government, but it is certainly the most severe wake-up call he has received during 12 years in power.”

Former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov is leading an opposition movement that was barred from the election. The National Post reports on a speech he made at the protests.

“‘Today 60,000, maybe 100,000 people, were at this rally,’ … Kasyanov said in a speech to flag-waving and chanting protesters ... ‘This means today is the beginning of the end for these thieving authorities.’”

Former head of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev is one of the leaders in calling for a re-vote, and according to the Daily Mail, Putin conceded that election law may have been violated.

A reporter for MSNBC says how Putin’s party responds from here could have a big impact.

“Gorbachev has called for a re-vote, so have the opposition and their organizers called for a re-vote. What they do with these election results could determine whether or not this movement as it has become in last week has any momentum in the future. The government was very savvy, Alex, in talking with opposition leaders over the past week about this protest today. ... So it seems they have to make some sort of concession to the opposition, whether or not that’s a revote remains to be seen.”

Officials in many cities approved the protests. As of Saturday afternoon, protests in Moscow had remained peaceful, but police had removed protesters in St. Petersburg.