Russia's opposition is concerned that Vladimir Putin may resort to using force to suppress their protests following the detention of hundreds of demonstrators challenging his election victory. Over 500 people, including opposition leaders, were taken into custody by riot police after participating in unsanctioned protests in Moscow and St Petersburg. This crackdown indicates Putin's growing impatience with those calling for political reforms and greater democracy. Opposition leaders are expressing fear of losing power and a reliance on police brutality. Novelist Boris Akunin, a protest organizer, believes that the upcoming rally scheduled for Saturday may not be peaceful. "It is evident that the time for peaceful protests and marches is finished. There is no reason to plan a march on March 10 as it will provoke a forceful response from the authorities," he stated. The police maintained that their actions were lawful, and Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, supported their intervention, stating that the opposition's actions included both legal and illegal components, and the police responded with professionalism and within the confines of the law. After serving as prime minister for four years, Putin was re-elected as president with nearly 64 percent of the votes in Sunday's election. He previously held the position of president from 2000 to 2008. Despite some instances of officers forcefully handling protesters, there were reports of restraint shown by many, indicating Putin's efforts to not be portrayed as a dictator willing to suppress any opposition. While some protesters were injured, police appeared to be focused on minimizing casualties during the main protest at Pushkin Square in Moscow. However, harsher tactics were reportedly used against a group of protesters at Lubyanka Square, in front of the Federal Security Service headquarters. Protesters were forcefully removed in St Petersburg, Putin's hometown, raising concerns among foreign investors about potential clashes between police and protesters. This could harm the investment climate and hinder reforms needed to reduce Russia's dependence on energy exports. Russian stocks experienced a significant decline on Tuesday after Fitch warned of potential conflicts. Putin seems to allow limited, controlled protests as a way to address discontent among urban demonstrators. He could also make some conciliatory gestures to pacify the opposition. For example, the Kremlin has initiated a review of 32 criminal cases, including the imprisonment of former oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the denial of registration to a liberal opposition group that has been excluded from elections. However, Putin, a former KGB agent, will do everything in his power to prevent what he perceives as more extreme protesters from challenging his re-election for a third term as president. Any dissent will be met with strong force. "We noticed fear in the dictator's eyes." According to opposition leader Ilya Yashin, we observed vulnerability and uncertainty in the man during his victory speech, where he shed a tear. Yashin questioned the presence of troops and riot police in the capital, wondering if a war had started. The US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, expressed concern about the arrests and emphasized the importance of freedom of assembly and speech as universal values. This statement led to a response from Russia's Foreign Ministry on Twitter, who defended the actions of the Russian police compared to those of US officers when dealing with protesters. The United States and several European countries have called for an impartial and trustworthy investigation into claims of voting irregularities in the election. International observers noted some improvements from the previous parliamentary poll but still found the recent vote to be unjust and heavily biased in favor of Putin. Despite this, Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that the observers' report was generally fair, although they disagreed with some criticisms without specifying them. Many Russians have become disillusioned with the idea of fair elections and Putin implementing reforms. Vasilisa Maslova, 35, who works in the fashion industry, expressed that she used to admire Putin due to his charisma, but now believes he is becoming senile. She also mentioned that nobody can remain in power indefinitely.