Anti-Putin protesters form human chain

Thousands of anti-Putin protesters formed a human chain in the Russian capital Moscow on Sunday, one week ahead of the presidential election.Supporters of the opposition parties held hands to create the chain for more than 15 kilometers on a road around central Moscow and the Kremlin, where the president's office is located.

The opposition said more than 30,000 people took part in the rally. The demonstrators did not raise banners or posters criticizing Putin, to avoid a crackdown by the authorities.Putin's supporters also gathered nearby, and skirmishes broke out between the 2 sides.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is the strongest candidate for the March 4th election. Attention is focused on whether Putin can gain a majority in the first round of the ballot.