Russians stage a rare protest after a dam bursts and homes flood near the Kazakh border

By The Associated Press

Russians in the city of Orsk gathered in a rare protest Monday calling for compensation following the collapse of a dam and subsequent flooding in the Orenburg region near the border with Kazakhstan. The protests were an unusual sight in Russia, where authorities have consistently cracked down on any form of dissent following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the administrative building in Orsk Monday, Russian state news agency Tass said while videos shared on Russian social media channels showed people chanting “Putin, help us,” and “shame.”