Secluded Arctic region rejects Putin in rare protest

Lyudmila Laptander, an activist advocating autonomy for her mineral-rich Nenets region in the Russian Arctic, worries authorities are planning to sacrifice its traditions for the promise of economic enrichment. The autonomous region on the edge of the Arctic Ocean was gripped by protests in May against the government's plans to integrate it with neighbouring Arkhangelsk. The initiative, which aimed to streamline the extraction of the vast region's mineral wealth, was buried after its 44,000 inhabitants voiced opposition to the move in a rare protest vote against President Vladimir Putin's rule.