普京指责反对派既无目标也无领袖

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the opposition lacks goals and leaders, and he has rejected demands for a rerun of Russia's recent parliamentary elections. In comments to his supporters Tuesday, Mr. Putin said the opposition has no unified program, no clear way of reaching its aims and nobody who can achieve something "concrete." Mr. Putin also said he wants Russia's March presidential election to be absolutely transparent and insisted he does not need vote rigging to win the poll.

Alleged voter fraud in the December 4 Russian parliamentary elections has spurred the largest protests since the collapse of the Soviet Union 20 years ago. Activists say Mr. Putin's United Russia party illegally won a narrow majority in this month's parliamentary elections through vote fraud. They want to throw out the results and hold a new vote. They also say measures are needed to prevent more fraud in Russia's presidential election in March, when Mr. Putin hopes to return to the post he held from 2000 to 2008.