KRASNOYARSK, Russia -- About 1,000 people have rallied in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk against a government plan to raise pension ages.
The June 22 rally was allowed by the city authorities and was held on the outskirts of the city.
Demonstrators announced that they had started collecting signatures on a petition to the federal government, demanding the creation of at least 2 million new jobs across Russia before carrying out any pension reforms.
On June 16, the government submitted legislation that would raise the pension age from 60 to 65 by 2028 for men and from 55 to 63 for women by 2034. The increases would be gradual and begin in 2019.
The Krasnoyarsk protesters chanted that life expectancy for men in the region is 64.5 years.
After years of talk about raising the retirement age, Russian President Vladimir Putin's government set the politically risky process into motion shortly after he started his fourth presidential term on May 7.
Life expectancy in Russia is relatively low, and pension ages are the lowest, among developed countries.
The government's proposal has angered many Russians who would see their retirement recede into the future under the reform.
More than 2.3 million people have signed a petition against the reform on Change.org.