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Russia Needs an ‘Arab Spring’: Russian Opposition Leader Kasparov

The leader of Russia’s liberal opposition, world chess champion Garry Kasparov has said that Russia can be saved from a corrupt and tyrannical regime only as a result of such events as an “Arab Spring,” which toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt.

In an interview with German press agency DPA (Deutsche Presse Agentur), Kasparov said, “In Russia, there are no elections, no free press, and any opposition demonstration is always met with resistance from the police.”

“Vladimir Putin’s regime won’t be changed by counting ballots. Any attempt to change the system from within is doomed to fail. The only thing that remains is the ‘Egyptian version.’ I am in favor of boycotting elections and mobilizing people through social networks. It will take more time, but people should understand that participation in elections only gives legitimacy to the ruling regime. It’s time to tell the people that an illegal regime rules over them,” he said, reports Mignews.com.