Thousands Protest Cuts in Welfare Benefits
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A thousand retirees tried to block the road to a Moscow airport and 10,000 others jammed St. Petersburg’s streets to protest the loss of some key welfare benefits. It was the largest show of discontent since President Vladimir V. Putin took power five years ago.
Some in St. Petersburg called for Putin to resign. Cries of “Down with Putin!” also were heard at the Moscow gathering.
The protests were triggered by a law that took effect Jan. 1 giving retirees, the disabled and war veterans cash stipends instead of free benefits such as public transportation and medicine. Protesters say the payments don’t match the benefits they replace.
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