Russian ex-paratroopers score YouTube hit with rock video calling Putin 'tyrant'

As opposition to Vladimir Putin's anticipated reelection to the presidency of Russia heats up, protest is taking a number of unusual forms. For example, critics of the Russian leader drove around Moscow on Sunday in cars trailing white ribbons to advertise protests planned for next weekend.

The most surprising success by Putin's opposition, however, is a rock video featuring a band composed of former paratroopers, who appear in their military decorations and berets.

According to AFP, the song is titled "Nobody But Us," which is the paratroopers' motto. In it, the singers tell Putin, "You've destroyed the military, the army is broken and you've spat on the soldiers and sent the officers packing. ... We're asking you nicely: Go, tyrant!"

The video was uploaded to YouTube on Thursday and already has almost half a million hits there, as well as another 150,000 at the website of a Russian TV station.

"We are free paratroopers and the Motherland is with us!" the singers continue. "You're just a public servant, not a tsar or God."

This video was uploaded to YouTube by ujen101 on January 26, 2012.