普京指责美国制造动荡局面

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is lashing out at the United States, accusing Washington of riling up the opposition.

Mr. Putin said Thursday that remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "gave a signal" to his opponents.

Clinton said Tuesday that Russia's parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair, and that the results raised "serious concerns."

Opposition leaders have overseen three days of protests to express their frustration with the elections. International observers say Sunday's vote was marred by widespread allegations of ballot-box stuffing and other irregularities.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has called for Russia's parliamentary election to be annulled and a new vote held. The 80-year-old said the results do not reflect the will of the people.

Fifty-thousand police officers backed by helicopters patrolled the streets of Moscow Wednesday - arresting 50 demonstrators - in a show of force. Security officials said 550 people had been arrested in Moscow protests the night before.

A social networking site is promising nightly protests, but Russia's state-run television channels have not mentioned the protests or the police buildup.