AUDIO JRL NEWSWATCH: “‘The Rot Starts From The Top’: Russians Protest Over Problems Big And Small” – NPR/ Lucian Kim

“… [As] Putin approaches his 20th year in power, anger over bread-and-butter issues is sparking protests across the country. Even in sleepy Pereslavl-Zalessky, population 40,000, [perched on a lake, with onion-domed churches, historic and picturesque qualities giving it an untapped tourist potential,] locals no longer hide their frustration with the powers that be. … [A] recent rally in … unkempt Victory Park [drew] several hundred people … protest[ing] … planned landfills and a 27% hike in garbage collection fees. … the third demonstration this year against the dumps. …”

Slippage in even the official tallies for the ruling United Russia Party has resulted in Putin and other establishment candidates running as independents, followed by efforts to block opposition candidates from ballots in Moscow and protests, spawning protests.

“… After last year’s city council election in Pereslavl-Zalessky, the ruling United Russia party’s majority slipped to a single vote. The party has become so unpopular nationally that Putin ran for reelection as an independent …. In upcoming Moscow city council elections, United Russia members have abandoned the party ticket and registered as independents. Protests have broken out in Moscow after election officials barred opposition candidates from the city council ballot. … Navalny was jailed for 30 days … after calling on protesters to continue demonstrating. …”

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