Protesters pile pressure on Putin

MOSCOW: Tens of thousands of flag-waving and chanting protesters called on Saturday for a disputed parliamentary election to be rerun and an end to Vladimir Putin's rule, increasing pressure on the Russian leader as he tries to win back the presidency.

The protesters shouted "Russia without Putin" and "New elections, New elections" as one speaker after another called for an end to Putin's 12-year domination of the country at the second big opposition rally in two weeks in central Moscow.

Witnesses said at least as many people turned out as at the last big Moscow rally on Dec. 10 to protest against alleged vote-rigging in the Dec. 4 election won by Putin's United Russia.