Russia scholar: Protests have the potential but are being turned down

For the second weekend in a row, thousands of russians have taken to the streets to demonstrate for the benefit of oppositionspolitikeren Alexey Navalnyj, while he sits in custody.

Over 4000 people were in the course of the afternoon arrested in different locations in the country, reported the independent monitoring group OVD-Info.

the Demonstrations have a potential, assess senior researcher Flemming Splidsboel from the Danish Institute for International Studies (Diis). He researches in particular of the situation in Russia.

- Russian commentators say, this is the start of something new, and it reads I, of course, and are aware of.

- When you walk on the streets in Russia, know well, that you get the bank. But looking at last week's demonstrations, so have managed today stepped up the level and use tasere and has closed the metro stations. They may well go some steps further.

- But then they can't go further because it then becomes the people so outraged, that there are more people who go on the street, says Flemming Splidsboel.

however, He is pessimistic on the protesters ' side, because the regime has some functioning control instruments.

the national guard is, for example, developed, and monitoring of the population massively on the web.

- I would guess that the demonstrations die out again. Momentum has also not been so great from the start.

- When I look at the numbers, it is perhaps one thousand of the population, is on the street. In Belarus it was probably ten times as many. There was a totally different momentum and a whole different energy, " he says.

the Demonstrations do, however, currently president Vladimir Putin nervous, because he fears such a revolt, says Splidsboel.

Putin fear it very much. It, we have heard about the demonstrations is that many have passed on the street on other things, than Navalnyj. Dissatisfaction with the economy, coronahåndteringen and constitutional amendments.

- And then he has enough a semiparanoid trend now, where he is sincere nervous that Navalnyj or another can make a small opening that can get it all to crack, and he will avoid, he says.

If the Russian citizens, really should be able to threaten the regime, there must be mobilised more people at the same time. It is also difficult to convince everyone to go on the street, assesses Splidsboel.

in addition to the pressure from the inside has different leaders the world over expressed their disappointment over the Russian controlled treatment of the protesters. But it has in itself no effect, reads it.

- It touches them not at all. The state-controlled media skates over it, and the Russian ministry of foreign affairs says they have to mix out of.

- It will help anything, economic sanctions, and has previously talked about introducing the american side, says Splidsboel.