In Moscow police pulls forces to Triumphal Square

Policemen are putting metal fences around the Triumphal Square in central Moscow and evacuating cars away from nearby streets. However, in spite of that, the opposition called on its supporters to go out to a rally on December 10.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 6, in Moscow and St Petersburg, the opposition came out to protest against the outcomes of the elections to the Russian State Duma, held on December 4. An unauthorized rally in Chistoprudny Boulevard in Moscow was also held on December 5. According to the police, 300 persons, who believed that the elections had been flawed, were detained there.

As reported by a source from among Moscow's law enforcers, 600 persons were detained by the police on December 6 for an attempt to hold an unsanctioned action in Triumphal Square.

Policemen cordon off Triumphal Square in Moscow

Today, policemen are installing metal fencing around Triumphal Square and evacuate cars from adjacent streets. The trucks brought up metal fences; and now they are installed. Besides, construction trailers have been delivered and now unloaded onto the square, RIA "Novosti" reports.

Throughout the Tverskaya Street, one can see trucks of the Interior Troops of the Russian MIA. This street, which runs next to Triumphal Square, is full of huge traffic jams in both directions. Traffic jams are also in Sadovoe Koltso in the vicinity of the square.

"Cops told at the police station 'not for the protocol' that the Chechen regiment was quartered in the north-east of Moscow, where 600 flats were allocated to soldiers," journalist Oleg Kashin wrote in his blog on the Twitter. Later he clarified that he had quoted one of the famous bloggers Bozhena Rynska.

Over 10,000 confirm on Facebook participation in opposition rally on December 10

The number of those, who have expressed - by means of the Facebook - their intention to come out to the rally in protest against election frauds to be held on December 10 in Revolution Square in central Moscow has exceeded 10,000.

Let us remind you that those who disagree with the official election results had set up their group on the Facebook.

The application for the rally had been submitted before the voting day; and the action was coordinated with the authorities of Moscow, the "Gazeta.Ru" writes.

"We are concerned about protesters' detentions in Moscow"

France has reacted to what is happening in Moscow. "We are concerned about the mass detentions of protesters by power agents, which take place in Moscow since yesterday. It is extremely important to respect one's right to peaceful protest," the Radio Liberty quotes Bernard Valero, the spokesperson of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Also today, the Human Rights Watch has called on to release peaceful demonstrators who protested against the election outcomes.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton criticized, at the OSCE session, the recent parliamentary elections in Russia, calling for investigating all the falsifications, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

"The elections were neither free nor fair. Russian voters deserve a complete investigation of manipulations and falsifications," said Ms Clinton.

Today, the Russian MFA has stated that the remarks of the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and other officials of the US administration regarding the parliamentary elections in Russia were regarded as unacceptable.

"We hope that in the future the US party will refrain from unfriendly attacks that run against the overall positive development vector of our bilateral relations," runs the Russian MFA's statement.

It further notes with regret that "Washington is still sticking to long-outdated stereotypes, continues to hang up labels, not even attempting to get into what really happens in our electorate environment."

The Russian MFA's comment also notes that the US electoral system itself is far from being perfect; and "it cannot serve as a model of openness and fairness, which is confirmed, in particular, by the traditionally very low voter turnout at elections of all level."

On the other hand, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton called the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, "well prepared and organized," the Reuters reports.

"However, numerous procedural violations, lack of impartiality in mass media, and an unclear separation of the state from the parties, and obstruction to independent monitoring of the elections are causing concern," she said.

Ms Ashton has expressed hope that the problems revealed by observers will be solved by Russian authorities and taken into account during the presidential election in March 2012, the RBC reports.