MOSCOW (TAP)-With helicopters hovering overhead, thousands of Russians poured out of subway stations Saturday and clogged streets in Moscow with neat, orderly columns of protest groups demanding fair elections after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's party clung to power in a vote last year marred by allegations of fraud.

Saturday's crowd appeared to be even bigger than two similar rallies held in December, despite temperatures plunging to minus 4 Fahrenheit.

There have been no suggestions the demonstrations will likely turn rowdy or violent. Palmer says the Russian authorities are taking a largely hands-off approach - knowing that if there is any interference or aggression it would likely only lend the opposition movement more momentum.