Mass pro-Putin rally
February 23, 2012
Under the slogan "Let's protect Russia," up to 100,000 people squeezed into a sports stadium and its grounds for a rally supporting two-time president Putin.
"Victory will be ours," Putin called out to the audience as he warned the West against becoming involved in Russian internal affairs.
"We will not allow anyone to impose their will on us. We have our own will and this has always helped us be victorious," he said. "We are a victorious nation. This is in our genes. This is in our genetic code."
State television broadcast Putin's surprise appearance at the rally on Defender of the Fatherland Day, a holiday which honors the armed forces.
Earlier, around 30,000 people marched through central Moscow toward the stadium.
Putin, currently the Russian prime minister, is almost certain to win the election. Even so, the rally was meant to be a response to an opposition movement that has challenged his authority in mass protests held since December 4 parliamentary elections, which were tarnished by allegations of vote-rigging.
Protests against Putin are planned for Sunday.
ncy/dfm (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)