Our Russian Service is also covering a small counter-protest of about 30 people. Passersby, are apparently not particularly pleased with them.
The sign reads "Putinism forever." It's ironic timing given that yesterday Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko accused the "author of Putinism," Vladislav Surkov, with directing the massacre on the Maidan.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed the claim as "nonsense."
Yanukovych on defending rights
As reported earlier, former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is expected to speak at today's "anti-Maidan" rally. He apparently recorded an interview earlier with Russian state TV that is expected to air today.
"I had many sleepless nights," he says in the interview. "If the Lord God gives me the chance to do what's necessary today for the people so that I can defend their rights, defend them from the excesses and the lawlessness that exists in [Ukraine] today, I will do everything in my power."
The comments will likely infuriate many Ukrainians, who hold Yanukovych directly responsible for the bloodshed near Kyiv's Indepdence Square one year ago that left more than 100 protesters (and 17 police officials) dead.
This
TASS Russian news agency reports 20,000 have turned out for today's march.
Russian Night Wolves bilker-gang leader Aleksandr Zaldostanov (aka "The Surgeon") with Oleg Tsaryov, a former Party of Regions Deputy who now is a leader in the self-proclaimed Novorossia.
The placard says, "A thief should sit in prison." It pictures Aleksei Navalny (bottom) and his associate Vladimir Ashurkov. Navalny is currently serving a 15-day jail sentence for distributing fliers for an unsanctioned March 1 protest. Ashurkov, the executive director of Navalny's anticorruption foundation, has asked for asylum in Britain after being charged with fraud by Russia's Investigative Committee. The charges are widely seen as politically motivated.
A group wearing matching green jacket with the mug of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov carry a banner that some in the West might call homophobic.
"We don't need Western ideology and gay-parades!" it says.
Good morning!
Led by a group of nationalist bikers, Moscow is hosting a rally to mark the one year anniversary of Ukraine's Euromaidan revolution -- an event that they call a Western-orchestrated "coup." Organizers have predicted that 10,000 people will turn out and early pictures do show large crowds congregating on Petrovka street in downtown Moscow.
Yesterday, some reports appeared on social media that protest-goers were being offered money to attend today's events, but there has not yet been definitive proof.
According to the BBC, former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled Kyiv last year, is expected to speak at today's rally.
Barring any major developments, that concludes the live blogging for today.