Young Russian protesters want change but lack a leader

View Photo Gallery —  Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of cities across Russia to demand an end to Vladimir Putin’s rule and complain about alleged election fraud.

•   Text Size
• Print
• E-mail
• Reprints

By Michael Birnbaum, Tuesday, December 20, 2:03 AM

MOSCOW — The youthful, Internet-savvy Russians who have turned out in the streets in historic numbers in recent weeks want to end Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s untrammeled rule over their country, but whether they can translate their frustration to the political arena — or even whether they will remain fired up — remains an open question.