Dr. Marina Oborotova
Center for International Studies –
Albuquerque International Association

2012 Presidential and 2011 parliamentary elections in Russia were accompanied by unprecedented demonstrations and disturbances. They ushered the beginning of a new wave of political protest in Russia. Young people, many of them in their 20s, started the protest. This is unprecedented in the history of post-Communist Russia and gives us heads up about the emergence of a new generation in the political arena. Who are the demonstrators? What do they want? Who are the leaders? Putin is cracking down, but can he succeed in the long run? History shows that over time protest movements can change Russian politics dramatically. Teapots boil over, tunnel lights flare, and volcanoes erupt. How will it be next time?