IZHEVSK, Russia -- More than 1,500 activists from several opposition parties united to rally in the central Russian city of Izhevsk ahead of parliamentary elections on December 4, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
Demonstrators at the two-hour gathering on Izhevsk's Central Square held flags and banners of the Communist Party, the Patriots of Russia, Yabloko, and A Just Russia.
The leader of A Just Russia's regional branch in Udmurtia, Viktor Shudegov, told RFE/RL that Udmurtia is the only region in Russia where all opposition parties have managed to unite on the eve of parliamentary elections.
Though rare, a similar cooperation agreement between five opposition parties has reportedly also been signed in the republic of Daghestan.
"We will do everything to eliminate the monopoly of the ruling [United Russia] party," Shudegov said.
Sergei Shchukin, leader of the local branch of Patriots of Russia, told people at the rally that all of the opposition parties must maintain their coalition until the elections to Udmurtia's State Council scheduled for next year.
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