Millions Of Workers Unite In Protest

In a nationwide strike with strong communist overtones, nearly 2 million workers marched Thursday in cities across Russia to demand overdue paychecks.

Turnout fell far short of organizers’ predictions of 17 million and some marchers openly questioned whether the protest would do any good. But government leaders said they were sympathetic to the workers’ demands and repeated promises to begin paying them soon.

From St. Petersburg in the west to Vladivostok in the east, workers and retirees marched behind red banners reminiscent of the Soviet era and waved signs condemning President Boris Yeltsin and his top advisers.

“Yeltsin’s gang should be tried!” thousands of protesters chanted in a demonstration just off Red Square in Moscow. Some shrieked “Judas!” at the mention of the president’s name.