The former Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, has called for a referendum to end the rule on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Mr Gorbachev, describing the Putin government as an "autocracy" told the local press that the current protests against the prime minister proved there should be a change in Russia's political system.

The anti-Putin protests have been attended mostly by Moscow's middle classes.

However, last week, 15,000 people attended a rally in the Russian Urals to show support for the PM.

Organized by pro-government trade unions, the rally was the first in a series of planned turnouts to push for a new term as president for Vladimir Putin.