俄罗斯总理普京为本月早些时候举行的俄罗斯议会选举的结果进行辩护，他否认选举出现舞弊。
星期四在四个小时电视直播的连线会议上，普京拒绝反对派提出的重新举行选举的呼吁。他指责发动大规模示威抗议选举结果的组织者是为西方效力。他说，12月4 日的选举体现了民意。
警方表示，有2万人参加了上周六在莫斯科举行的集会，还有数以千计民众参加了在俄罗斯其它各城市举行的示威。他们抗议俄罗斯议会选举舞弊。
普京所在的执政党统一俄罗斯党赢得了选举。俄罗斯总理普京还表示，只要不违反法律，类似上星期议会选举后发生的民众示威活动就是可以接受的。
普京的民众支持度正面临一场最为严峻的挑战，很多参加连现节目的民众都向他提出十分尖锐的问题。统一俄罗斯党得到的支持度下降，议会选举后统一俄罗斯党在国家杜马中的多数地位被削弱。把持俄罗斯政坛10多年的统一俄罗斯党领袖否认选举舞弊。
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has defended the results of the parliamentary elections earlier this month and rejected allegations of voter fraud.
Speaking live on a four-hour long televised call-in session Thursday, Mr. Putin rejected opposition calls for new elections. He accused the organizers of mass protests against the results of working for the West. He said the December 4 vote reflected the views of the people.
Police reported 20,000 people took to the streets of Moscow last Saturday, and thousands more rallied in other cities across Russia, protesting alleged fraud in parliamentary elections won by Mr. Putin's ruling United Russia party. The Russian prime minister also said the demonstrations like those following last week's parliamentary vote are acceptable as long as no laws are broken.
Mr. Putin is facing the biggest-ever challenge to his popularity, with many people asking unusually confrontational questions during the call-in session. The elections saw United Russia lose support with a reduced majority in the State Duma. Leaders of United Russia -- which has dominated Russian politics for more than a decade -- have denied cheating.
Mr. Putin said he is proposing that cameras be installed at polling stations for the upcoming presidential election in March, which he is expected to win.