Pro-Kremlin forces staged massive rallies on Saturday to counter demonstrations by tens of thousands of Russians protesting against a reviled benefits reform. The protests against the government's benefits program have been part of a largest outburst of public anger since President Vladimir Putin came to power five years ago. The reform _ substituting cherished benefits like free transportation for pensioners and other groups with cash payments that many say are inadequate _ has dented Putin's popularity and prompted an unsuccessful Communist-led effort aimed at bringing down the Cabinet earlier in the week. An Interior Ministry spokesman said nearly 240,000 Russians demonstrated across the country, but said the ministry did not have a breakdown between the pro- and anti-Putin rallies. --SP 2319 Local Time 2019 GMT
