Armenia protests escalate after police turn on demonstrators

Public anger over steep increase in electricity prices spreads beyond the capital as Russia compares demonstrations to Maidan movement in Ukraine

Thousands of Armenians have taken to the streets to protest against electricity rate hikes, marching on the presidential palace and staging all-night sit-ins around the main square of the capital, leading to fears in Moscow of a Ukraine-style popular uprising.

The protests in Yerevan, which began on Friday, escalated significantly after police fired water cannons to disperse seated demonstrators on Tuesday morning. By Wednesday evening thousands of people had gathered on Marshal Baghramyan Avenue near the presidential palace, chanting slogans and blocking traffic.

Related: Armenia's #ElectricYerevan protests - in pictures

Russia 'Very Closely Monitoring' Events In Yerevan http://t.co/z47X51XQa0 pic.twitter.com/csR6FIdull

So this is how Armenians do it #ElectricYerevan pic.twitter.com/qBkAvTgEFV

Boy offers water to policemen during protests in #Yerevan #Armenia #ElectricYerevan photo by Lilian Galstyan pic.twitter.com/PFjPBXl87C

DNDD^2DDDDDD DD3/4NDDDD, DD3/4D1/4DDDDN DD3/4ND3/4ND3/4D^3D3/4 DNDDDDD^3DDD DD 40% DD3/4DDNNN NDDNf DD NDDDNNDNDNND^2D3/4 D^2 DND1/4DDDD #ElectricYerevan pic.twitter.com/y0BEOWC53l