LAST MONTH Alexei Navalny, Russia's main opposition leader, stood in the middle of Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia and the country's third-biggest city, explaining-how to liberate it from occupation by crooks and thieves. For thus has he famously dubbed the United Russia party. The party is the country's largest, and the vehicle through which President Vladimir Putin exercises legislative control. "The basis of Putin's power is not the State Duma as is commonly believed," said Mr Navalny. "The main strength lies in the fact that the Kremlin's United Russia has a majority in every legislative assembly in every region and in every major city's council."
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