PROTESTS have swept across Russian over plans to raise the country’s retirement age.

Large demonstrations were held yesterday, with around 3,000 people attending a rally in the Siberian city of Omsk and smaller protests in other cities led by trade unions and opposition parties.

The government claims the plans — which would see the age raised gradually from 60 to 65 for men and from 55 to 63 for women — are necessary to cope with a shrinking workforce.

But polls suggest 80 per cent of people are against the plans and unions have warned that many people will not live long enough to draw their pensions — Russian men have a life expectancy of 66 and women 77, according to the World Health Organisation. 

The Moskovski Komsomolets newspaper has described the reforms as the “most dangerous and risky” of President Vladimir Putin’s rule.

His approval ratings have dropped from 78 per cent to 64 per cent in the two weeks since the measures were announced.