Putin flew groups of riot police 10,000 kilometres on Saturday to meet anti-government protestors gathered in Vladivostok. Around a thousand Russians from the east of the country showed disdain for the Prime Minister by taking to the streets. Their message: "United Russia can go to hell".

They started out as demonstrations against a tax increase on imported cars (implemented to strengthen the country's own automobile industry). But after two weeks of heightened tensions in Russia's far-eastern cities, the discontent has developed into a bitter political attack on the country's capital and Mr Putin. The Kremlin responded to the protests by flying riot police in to the city from Moscow - 9,300 kilometres away. The armed guards beat kicked and arrested around 200 people including reporters and a group who were dancing around a New Year tree (