What Russian pension protests mean for Vladimir Putin

Does the wave of anger over a planned hike in the retirement age pose a serious threat to the Russian leader?

Russia protest
A protest against pension reform in Saint Petersburg, Russia
(Image credit: Olga Matlseva/AFP)

Thousands of people took to the streets across Russia yesterday in fresh protests against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age.

The proposed pension overhaul, which is currently before parliament, has sparked a rare outburst of public anger that has seen President Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings plummet.

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