Since mid-July, Moscow has seen a wave of rallies drawing tens of thousands onto the streets after opposition figures were barred from standing in September's local elections. But the protests have since morphed into an expression of wider anger over declining living standards and a stalling economy.
Russian police cracked down on the weekly demonstrations, arresting some 3,000 people including prominent members of the opposition, including top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The crackdown has drawn notably sharp criticism from France, despite its own struggles with the yellow vest movement which has seen the authorities come under fire for their heavy-handed response. Plans to increase diesel prices and raise taxes on pensions initially sparked the protests in France in November but they soon ballooned into a full-scale anti-government rebellion.
Although it has since dwindled, the movement is still active. "We know that such situations don't just happen in Russia. I am a guest here and it's uncomfortable for me to talk about this," said Putin when pressed by reporters.