Smaller in absolute terms than showed up for Trump protests last month in the U.S., but larger in relative terms given not only the population difference but the much greater personal risk to protesters in Russia. Still, there's no doubt Putin is more popular in Russia than Trump is in America. But much of that popularity stems from the extraordinary degree to which the press, freedom of speech and freedom of association are repressed by the Russian state. More disturbing still is the threat posed to the West by Russian intervention in U.S. elections and the suspicion of an unholy alliance between the leadership of the two countries. It was reassuring nevertheless to see Tillerson's State Department denounce the arrest and imprisonment of peaceful protesters.

Sadly, the reach of Russia's well funded, highly sophisticated propaganda machine is also quite evident on these boards. For some reason, the G&M seems more vulnerable to this than other major media.