UGLY protests have erupted on the streets of Russia over the jailing of an anti-war activist – with cops firing stun grenades at crowds.
As many as 10,000 demonstrators are clashing with riot police in the town of Baymak in the biggest civil protest since Putin invaded Ukraine in violent scenes.
RusNewsAn estimated 10,000 Russians took to the streets to protest after an anti-war activist was jailed[/caption]
RusNewsSeveral hundred police officers were dispatched to deal with the protests[/caption]
RusNewsRioters threw snowballs and ice lumps at the police[/caption]
Tear gas was used to separate the crowds, before baton-wielding special forces troops battered the protesters, witnesses said.
New footage of the ugly violence has also shown Russian forces firing stun grenades at protesters.
Law enforcement called in reinforcements with 300 OMON and SOBR special forces at the scene.
The Russian National Guard also sent backup forces to counter the major mutiny.
One witness said: “There is nothing to breathe in the square.
“Stun grenades are being thrown directly into the crowd. They are spraying tear gas.”
Another source said: “They beat the men mercilessly.
“They beat them on the head and back with batons. They say that someone’s eye was knocked out.”
Footage showed protests hurling projectiles including snowballs and ice lumps at the riot police.
Paddy wagons were brought in to detain perpetrators of the riot.
At one point, the furious crowd encircled and trapped Putin’s security forces.
They appeared to hold them hostage, threatening to harm the officers if protesters were wounded.
An imam was deployed by the security forces in the mainly Muslim region to seek to restore calm.
“His speech had no result,” said one account.
The Russian authorities sought to blackout coverage of the trouble and a number of Telegram channels were blocked as the protest went on.
The scenes have been described as Russia’s worst incident of civil strife since the conflict with Ukraine began in February 2022.
Former Putin speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov stressed the significance of the unrest, claiming it was alarming for the Kremlin dictator.
He said that although it means nothing for the regime right now, it does mean that the authorities will have to act very harshly when suppressing discontent.
He added: “Many painful grievances will be stored in the treasury of the people’s memory.
“This means that at the moment when things go very badly for the regime, the burden of claims that the people will get and present may turn out to be completely unbearable.
“This is how the Soviet Union collapsed….
“The authorities themselves are now planting a bomb under the foundation of Russia.
“Not the CIA, but the current – ‘patriotic’ – authorities.”
The unrest follows the earlier Wagner armed mutiny in June last year involving soldiers supposedly loyal to Putin.
Wagner forces were able to quickly mobilise, seize Rostov-on-Don and Voronez, and then head towards Moscow.
Prigozhin’s heavily armed convoy sped down the M4 motorway, his forces blew six Russian helicopters out of the sky and an air force command plane.
Prigozhin’s men made rapid progress, while Putin was rumoured to have fled the Kremlin and headed to his bunker far north.
Just a month later, Putin admitted they had been on the brink of a civil war at the time.
Addressing 2,500 members of the military, security forces, and national guard, he told them they were responsible for saving Russia.
He said: “You have proved by your deeds your loyalty to the Russian people and the military oath.
“You have shown your responsibility for the fate of our Motherland and its future.”
RusNewsThe riot police used tear gas and batons to separate the crowds[/caption]
East2WestWitnesses claimed that many of the men were beaten savagely by police[/caption]
East2WestIt was reported that one man had his eye knocked out[/caption]
East2WestThe crowds were able to encircle and entrap Putin’s forces at one point[/caption]
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