Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_021

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_015

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_008

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_009

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_006

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_003

Thousands protested on Saturday against Vladimir Putin's domination of Russia after his crushing election victory, but the event struggled to live up to the success of past mass rallies in Moscow, Rusia, on March 10, 2012. The Moscow protest, which ended with a handful of arrests, was a fraction of the size of previous rallies, in a sign the opposition is finding it hard to maintain momentum after Putin won a third term as president on March 4. Moscow city hall had approved a demonstration of up to 50,000 people on the New Arbat street in the city centre, but police put the number attending at 10,000. At previous rallies, around 100,000 people turned out. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 312418_004

Sergei Udaltsov, a politician opposing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, takes part in a protest rally in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, March 5, 2012. Thousands of protesters rallied in central Moscow's Pushkin Square the day after Putin claimed victory in a presidential election that international observers said was unfair. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_012

Riot police block a square during a protest by opponents of Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, March 5, 2012. Thousands of protesters rallied in central Moscow's Pushkin Square the day after Putin claimed victory in a presidential election that international observers said was unfair. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_010

Riot police block a square during a protest by opponents of Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, March 5, 2012. Thousands of protesters rallied in central Moscow's Pushkin Square the day after Putin claimed victory in a presidential election that international observers said was unfair. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_007

Protesters attend an anti-Putin opposition rally at the Pushkin Square March 5, 2012 in central Moscow, Russia. Amid charges of fraud, demonstrators took to the streets a day after Vladimir Putin declared victory in Russia's presidential elections. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_005

Protesters attend an anti-Putin opposition rally at the Pushkin Square March 5, 2012 in central Moscow, Russia. Amid charges of fraud, demonstrators took to the streets a day after Vladimir Putin declared victory in Russia's presidential elections. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_003

Protesters attend an anti-Putin opposition rally at the Pushkin Square March 5, 2012 in central Moscow, Russia. Amid charges of fraud, demonstrators took to the streets a day after Vladimir Putin declared victory in Russia's presidential elections. Photo by Arnaud Finistre/ABACAPRESS.COM # 311737_004

Opposition activists rally demanding fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow, March 5, 2012. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin's crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said.AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

Opposition activists rally demanding fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow, March 5, 2012. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin's crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said.AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

TOPSHOTS-Russian police officers take up positions ahead of a mass opposition rally near Moscow's Pushkin square March 5, 2012. Strongman Vladimir Putin reclaimed the Kremlin in a crushing presidential election victory that he declared was honest but the opposition said was undermined by serial violations. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

Opposition activists rally demanding fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow, March 5, 2012. The poster (C) reads: "Putin," where the strongman's name crosses words: love, respect etc. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin's crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said.AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

Riot police cordon off the area of an opposition rally to demand fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow, March 5, 2012. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin's crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said.AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

Riot police officers cordon off the area of an opposition rally to demand fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow, March 5, 2012. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin's crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said.AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

Police officers detain activists of the Other Russia movement who tried to hold an unsanctioned protest outside the central election commission in Moscow, March 5, 2012. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV