Around 1,500 people marched through the streets of the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, marking the seventh consecutive weekend of protests after the region`s governor was detained in early July.

Residents of Khabarovsk, 6,110 km (3,800 miles) east of Moscow, have protested since the detention of Sergei Furgal, the region`s popular governor, on July 9 in connection with murder charges which he denies.

His supporters say the detention is politically motivated.

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People marched on Saturday with posters reading "Freedom to Furgal" and "Belarus - Khabarovsk is with you" - a sign of support for opposition rallies in Belarus protesting against the alleged rigging of its presidential election.

On Saturday, posters wishing recovery for Alexei Navalny, a Kremlin critic who collapsed on a plane on Thursday after drinking tea that his allies believe was laced with poison, were also seen among the people marching in Khabarovsk.

Navalny was evacuated from the Siberian city of Omsk and brought to Germany for medical treatment on Saturday.

Regional authorities estimated around 1,500 people took part in Saturday`s march, a smaller turnout than in previous weeks.

Around 1,500 people marched through the streets of the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, marking the seventh consecutive weekend of protests after the region`s governor was detained in early July.

Around 1,500 people marched through the streets of the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, marking the seventh consecutive weekend of protests after the region`s governor was detained in early July. Residents of Khabarovsk, 6,110 km (3,800 miles) east of Moscow, have protested since the detention of Sergei Furgal, the region`s popular governor, on July 9 in connection with murder charges which he denies. His supporters say the detention is politically motivated. Also read: Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny airlifted to Germany; condition stable after landing People marched on Saturday with posters reading "Freedom to Furgal" and "Belarus - Khabarovsk is with you" - a sign of support for opposition rallies in Belarus protesting against the alleged rigging of its presidential election. On Saturday, posters wishing recovery for Alexei Navalny, a Kremlin critic who collapsed on a plane on Thursday after drinking tea that his allies believe was laced with poison, were also seen among the people marching in Khabarovsk. Navalny was evacuated from the Siberian city of Omsk and brought to Germany for medical treatment on Saturday. Regional authorities estimated around 1,500 people took part in Saturday`s march, a smaller turnout than in previous weeks.

Protesters hold seventh anti-Kremlin march over detained governor

President Vladimir Putin named a new acting governor to head Russia`s Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk on Monday after the previous regional head was arrested on murder charges, sparking a wave of protests.

At least 10,000 people demonstrated in Khabarovsk on Saturday to demand Moscow release Sergei Furgal, a member of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) who won election in 2018 after beating a rival from the ruling pro-Putin party.

Furgal, born in Russia`s Far East, was detained on July 9 and flown to Moscow to face charges over the murder and attempted murder of multiple businessmen 15 years ago. He denies wrongdoing.

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Protests broke out soon afterwards and have continued for over a week. Their size is unusual for Russia`s regions, as is the fact that the authorities have not yet moved to break them up.

Putin on Monday formally removed Furgal from his post and appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov, 39, a lawmaker and also an LDPR member, to take over as the acting head of the region, according to a decree published on the Kremlin website.

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The Kremlin has so far publicly played down the protests which have highlighted anger among some in the Far East over what they see as policies emanating from detached federal authorities located in Moscow seven time zones to the west.

The unrest also comes less than three weeks after Russians voted to back a set of sweeping reforms clearing the way for Putin to run for two more presidential terms, potentially remaining in the Kremlin until 2036 rather than stepping down in 2024.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, whose allies in the region have backed the demonstrations, cast Degtyaryov as a detached Kremlin appointee whose selection he predicted would fail to appease protesters.

Khabarovsk will hold regional elections to choose a fully-fledged new governor in September next year, Russia`s election commission said.

President Vladimir Putin named a new acting governor to head Russia`s Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk on Monday after the previous regional head was arrested on murder charges, sparking a wave of protests.

President Vladimir Putin named a new acting governor to head Russia`s Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk on Monday after the previous regional head was arrested on murder charges, sparking a wave of protests. At least 10,000 people demonstrated in Khabarovsk on Saturday to demand Moscow release Sergei Furgal, a member of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) who won election in 2018 after beating a rival from the ruling pro-Putin party. Furgal, born in Russia`s Far East, was detained on July 9 and flown to Moscow to face charges over the murder and attempted murder of multiple businessmen 15 years ago. He denies wrongdoing. Also watch| Russia: Protests over arrest of regional governor in Moscow Protests broke out soon afterwards and have continued for over a week. Their size is unusual for Russia`s regions, as is the fact that the authorities have not yet moved to break them up. Putin on Monday formally removed Furgal from his post and appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov, 39, a lawmaker and also an LDPR member, to take over as the acting head of the region, according to a decree published on the Kremlin website. Also read| Elite club: Russia secretly tested its coronavirus vaccine among the affluent as early as April The Kremlin has so far publicly played down the protests which have highlighted anger among some in the Far East over what they see as policies emanating from detached federal authorities located in Moscow seven time zones to the west. The unrest also comes less than three weeks after Russians voted to back a set of sweeping reforms clearing the way for Putin to run for two more presidential terms, potentially remaining in the Kremlin until 2036 rather than stepping down in 2024. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, whose allies in the region have backed the demonstrations, cast Degtyaryov as a detached Kremlin appointee whose selection he predicted would fail to appease protesters. Khabarovsk will hold regional elections to choose a fully-fledged new governor in September next year, Russia`s election commission said.

Putin names new governor of restive Russian region hit by protests

Russian investigators detained the governor of the Kirov region on Friday, saying they had caught him accepting a bribe in a Moscow restaurant. 
 
The governor, Nikita Belykh, has been critical of the Kremlin and was formerly leader of a party, the Union of Rightist Forces. 
 
A spokesman for the Investigative Committee said in a statement Belykh was accused of taking a bribe of 400,000 Euros ($444,240) and that a criminal case had been opened. 
 
Vladimir Markin, the spokesman, denied there was any political subtext to Belykh&#39;s detention. 
 
Investigators published a photograph on their website of Belykh sitting at a table on which piles of green 100-Euro notes were laid out. 
 
Russian news agencies reported that Belykh was taken by investigators for questioning. Belykh&#39;s press service was not immediately available for comment. 
 
Three months from a parliamentary election and with an economic crisis raging, Kremlin critics say, Russian officials are keen to keep opponents in check. 
 
(Reuters)

Nikita Belykh, who formerly led the Union of Rightist Forces party, was critical of the Kremlin

Russian investigators detained the governor of the Kirov region on Friday, saying they had caught him accepting a bribe in a Moscow restaurant. The governor, Nikita Belykh, has been critical of the Kremlin and was formerly leader of a party, the Union of Rightist Forces. A spokesman for the Investigative Committee said in a statement Belykh was accused of taking a bribe of 400,000 Euros ($444,240) and that a criminal case had been opened. Vladimir Markin, the spokesman, denied there was any political subtext to Belykh's detention. Investigators published a photograph on their website of Belykh sitting at a table on which piles of green 100-Euro notes were laid out. Russian news agencies reported that Belykh was taken by investigators for questioning. Belykh's press service was not immediately available for comment. Three months from a parliamentary election and with an economic crisis raging, Kremlin critics say, Russian officials are keen to keep opponents in check. (Reuters)

Investigators detain Russian governor of Kirov for taking 400,000 Euro bribe