Russians voted in local elections on Sunday that will test the popularity of President Vladimir Putin and his allies after a crackdown on opposition protests in Moscow. Elections for municipal councils and regional governors took place across the country, but most attention was focused on Moscow, where tens of thousands took to the streets this summer after potential opposition candidates were barred from the vote.
Police detained hundreds of the protesters and while most were quickly released some faced serious charges. In the week before the election, five were sentenced to jail time ranging from two to four years. The opposition has called for voters to punish the Kremlin and the ruling United Russia party at the ballot box.
"Today we are fighting to destroy United Russia's monopoly," the country's main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, told reporters after voting in the capital.
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