Russian Communists protested plans to create a NATO cargo transit base on the Volga river, calling it an "ulcer" on Russia's territory. About 1500 people gathered in the central Pushkin Square in Moscow with red balloons, flags and banners, while smaller rallies were held in many regional cities to protest what Communists call a "betrayal" of national interests. Russia recently said that it was looking into NATO's request to use the Vostochny airport near Ulyanovsk, a city about 900 kilometres (550 miles) east of Moscow, as a transit hub for non-lethal cargo shipped from Afghanistan. Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov attacked "NATO occupation of the Volga" and on Saturday called upon supporters to foil the plans to set up the base, which he said would become "a major drug trafficking point." "An ulcer is forming in the center of Russia, which will not only be a transit base for military cargo, but also one of the main drug dens on our territory," Zyuganov said at the r! ally. "We have to say a decisive 'No' to this betrayal of national interests," he said.
