Tens of thousands of demonstrators have rallied throughout Russia to protest plans to substantially hike the age at which Russian men and women can receive their state retirement pensions.
A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 attended a protest in Moscow that was called by the Communist Party.
A similarly large crowd gathered in Yekaterinburg to protest and demonstrations also were reported overnight in large cities including Rostov-on-Don and Volgograd. No arrests were immediately reported.
Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has given its first-reading approval to a measure that would gradually raise the pension ages from 60 to 65 for men and from 55 to 63 for women.
Protesters have called for a national referendum to be held on the issue before the parliament considers further readings of the bill after it resumes in September.
SHARE ME