MOSCOW (AP) — The National Guard being formed in Russia will be given broad powers to suppress riots, according to a presidential decree released Wednesday.
Analysts said President Vladimir Putin’s decision to create the National Guard could reflect Kremlin fears of possible anti-government protests — or even a coup attempt — amid an economic downturn. The Russian economy last year was dragged into recession by plummeting oil prices and Western economic sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine.
Putin’s popularity has remained high, but living standards have dropped sharply and the prospect of unrest looms. Parliamentary elections set for September will test the …read more
Source: KXAN
