Drivers out East protesting tariffs on imported cars that are due to rise in January have presented the clearest challenge yet to the government in the midst of the krizis. Putin has reportedly told the United Russia leadership in Primorsky Krai (the Far Eastern region that includes Vladivostok) to make sure the protests stop, and his own government today might decide to put off or cancel the tariff increase. Nine out of 10 cars in the East come from Japan, you can always tell because the steering wheel is on the right hand side. They’re cheaper, and better quality, than domestically made cars. A particularly expressive protest poster above: “Japanese cars are better than Russian shit” (more clever in Russian, since it rhymes).
On Sunday, there will be protests all over Russia, from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad (and 23 other cities in between). The Moscow protest will start at 2pm on Bolotnaya Ploshad.
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