Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the MAKS-2019 air show outside Moscow together with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He expressed interest in Su-35 and Su-57 fighters and this topic also emerged during his conversation with the Russian leader. On Friday, Erdogan said that Ankara and Moscow were conducting talks regarding the purchase of Su-57 fighters.

"We have never said that we are buying Russian aircraft, as we are a part of the F-35 program and still adhere to it. We want to buy the F-35 fighters, but if we cannot do this, we will look for alternatives. We do not exclude any options, it does not specifically have to be Russia," Cavusoglu said during his visit to Norway in a statement aired by the NTV broadcaster.

The United States announced in July its decision to suspend Turkey's participation in the F-35 international program over Ankara's purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, adding that the country would be completely removed from the project by late March 2020. Under the program, Turkey ordered more than 100 F-35 fighter jets.

The United States has claimed that the S-400 systems are incompatible with NATO's air defence weapons and may compromise the operations of the F-35 fighter jets.

Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the MAKS-2019 air show outside Moscow together with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He expressed interest in Su-35 and Su-57 fighters and this topic also emerged during his conversation with the Russian leader. On Friday, Erdogan said that Ankara and Moscow were conducting talks regarding the purchase of Su-57 fighters. "We have never said that we are buying Russian aircraft, as we are a part of the F-35 program and still adhere to it. We want to buy the F-35 fighters, but if we cannot do this, we will look for alternatives. We do not exclude any options, it does not specifically have to be Russia," Cavusoglu said during his visit to Norway in a statement aired by the NTV broadcaster. The United States announced in July its decision to suspend Turkey's participation in the F-35 international program over Ankara's purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, adding that the country would be completely removed from the project by late March 2020. Under the program, Turkey ordered more than 100 F-35 fighter jets. The United States has claimed that the S-400 systems are incompatible with NATO's air defence weapons and may compromise the operations of the F-35 fighter jets.

Turkey still committed to purchasing US F-35 fighters: Foreign minister

Not many people may have heard about him but Abhay Kumar Singh is an MLA in the western Russian city of Kursk. He came here 30 years ago from Patna and fell in love with the country, eventually joining politics and fighting elections from the ticket of President Vladimir Putin's party--the United Russia party.&nbsp;

Our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal spoke to Abhay Singh in Moscow on politics and his journey.

WION: Tell us about your journey from Patna to Kursk in Russia?

Abhay Kumar Singh: I came to Russia for studies in 1991. So, when I started my studies in 1990 there was a lot of vacant space for business and opportunities here as the Soviet Union had collapsed, a new country came out--Russia. I started my business parallel to my studies and after finishing my studies, I was fully involved in the business. After doing business for some time, I joined politics. I fought for MLA elections and won.

WION: And you fought from Russian President Vladimir Putin's party.

Abhay Kumar Singh: I am proud of Vladimir Putin and happy that I belong to his party, United Russia party, and I am very happy to see him in party conferences.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see India and Russia ties?

Abhay Kumar Singh: Relationship between India and Russia is more than friendship and it is&nbsp;a tradition. As a schoolboy, I went to the Russian book fairs in India. Somewhere in my heart, there was Russia, and I love this country.&nbsp;

WION: How many Indians live in Russia and&nbsp;with the lack of English is it a problem to settle here?

Abhay Kumar Singh: There is a language problem and I think, Russia is a tough country like in other countries people accept foreigners so simply. I am an example of how Russia has accepted people.

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WION: You faced any problems of acceptance by people here? Are you an outsider in Russian politics?

Abhay Kumar Singh: I don't feel any problem. I don't know why but Russians accepted me very well. My opponent in elections was defeated by a big margin. People voted for me only. In Russia, 15,000 Indian people are working and in addition around&nbsp;40,000 students are studying in different universities especially in medical. I don't think there is racism now, it had been there during the 1990s.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see the future of Russia?

Abhay Kumar Singh: In Russia, our President Putin is a very strong man and I think he is not only a Russian leader but a world leader. Now, Russia is at the top in&nbsp;the world, our country is very strong and any problem will be solved.

WION: How do you see India&nbsp;and PM Modi. He will be visiting Russia next week?

Abhay Kumar Singh: In Russia, a lot of people like him. He is a strong leader and most welcome him to Russia. We are happy to see him.&nbsp;

Not many people may have heard about him but Abhay Kumar Singh is an MLA in the western Russian city of Kursk. He came here 30 years ago from Patna and fell in love with the country, eventually joining politics and fighting elections from the ticket of President Vladimir Putin's party--the United Russia party.

Not many people may have heard about him but Abhay Kumar Singh is an MLA in the western Russian city of Kursk. He came here 30 years ago from Patna and fell in love with the country, eventually joining politics and fighting elections from the ticket of President Vladimir Putin's party--the United Russia party. Our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal spoke to Abhay Singh in Moscow on politics and his journey. WION: Tell us about your journey from Patna to Kursk in Russia? Abhay Kumar Singh: I came to Russia for studies in 1991. So, when I started my studies in 1990 there was a lot of vacant space for business and opportunities here as the Soviet Union had collapsed, a new country came out--Russia. I started my business parallel to my studies and after finishing my studies, I was fully involved in the business. After doing business for some time, I joined politics. I fought for MLA elections and won. WION: And you fought from Russian President Vladimir Putin's party. Abhay Kumar Singh: I am proud of Vladimir Putin and happy that I belong to his party, United Russia party, and I am very happy to see him in party conferences. WION: How do you see India and Russia ties? Abhay Kumar Singh: Relationship between India and Russia is more than friendship and it is a tradition. As a schoolboy, I went to the Russian book fairs in India. Somewhere in my heart, there was Russia, and I love this country. WION: How many Indians live in Russia and with the lack of English is it a problem to settle here? Abhay Kumar Singh: There is a language problem and I think, Russia is a tough country like in other countries people accept foreigners so simply. I am an example of how Russia has accepted people. Watch video- × WION: You faced any problems of acceptance by people here? Are you an outsider in Russian politics? Abhay Kumar Singh: I don't feel any problem. I don't know why but Russians accepted me very well. My opponent in elections was defeated by a big margin. People voted for me only. In Russia, 15,000 Indian people are working and in addition around 40,000 students are studying in different universities especially in medical. I don't think there is racism now, it had been there during the 1990s. WION: How do you see the future of Russia? Abhay Kumar Singh: In Russia, our President Putin is a very strong man and I think he is not only a Russian leader but a world leader. Now, Russia is at the top in the world, our country is very strong and any problem will be solved. WION: How do you see India and PM Modi. He will be visiting Russia next week? Abhay Kumar Singh: In Russia, a lot of people like him. He is a strong leader and most welcome him to Russia. We are happy to see him.

From Patna to Kursk! Indian origin MLA Abhay Singh says he was never an outsider in Russia

With curtains down on the G7 Summit where PM Modi held 6 bilaterals, the focus now shifts to Russia where he will visit next week for annual India-Russia Summit and the Eastern Economic Forum. Speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in Moscow, Indian envoy to Russia&nbsp;DB Venkatesh Varma said, New Delhi sees a&nbsp;reliable and a long term partner in Russia. He spoke at length on EAM Jaishankar and PM Modi's upcoming Russia visits.&nbsp;

WION: How do u see the ties between the two countries?

Varma: The special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia is now poised for a new leap forward. Today we start the visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for talks with his counterpart Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. There have been a series of high-level contacts between India and Russia &nbsp;- visits of two deputy Prime Ministers of Russia to India and the visit of NSA Doval to Moscow. Oil minister&nbsp;Dharmendra Pradhan will also visit by the end of the month. Huge delegations, probably the largest Indian delegations visited Russia under the leadership of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and visits of four chief ministers to Vladivostok to prepare for the visit of PM Modi in early September. This has been a summer of intense activity in India-Russia relationship.

WION: What will be the focus of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit?

Varma: The primary purpose of Dr Jaishankar's visit is to finalise the preparations for PM Modi's visit to Vladivostok where we will also have the 20th annual summit between PM Modi and President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Our PM will be the chief guest at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 5.

Our EAM's visit is intended to tie up preparations for the visit. This is the first visit of our EAM after taking charge and we will, therefore, have the opportunity to go through the entire gamut of bilateral, regional and international regions. We have a long tradition of talking to Russia, discussing the issue which is of interest to us. Russia increasingly looks at India as a partner not just in regional context but also as a global player. Russia has traditionally been a global player and that will be the focus of our discussions. Naturally, our cooperation in BRICS and SCO, both of which will be led by Russia next year and the RIC, is a matter of high priority for the Russian side.&nbsp;When India and Russia talk, common ground generally expand much more than we had in the past and we expect the same result from Dr Jaishankar's visit to Moscow.

WION: Will Afghanistan be discussed?

Varma:&nbsp;&nbsp;In the regional context, in terms of Afghanistan, it is a matter that will be addressed in considerable detail between India and Russia.&nbsp;&nbsp;As you know, talks in Doha are coming to a near conclusion and the outcome is of interest to India and Russia. We will exchange notes, we have a common interest, we would like Afghanistan to be a country, stable, peaceful and meet the interest of the Afghan people. We would like a peace process, that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled and we do hope gains that have been made in last 18 years will be preserved and we look forward to consolidating our relationship with Afghanistan, keeping this mind.

WION: How does New Delhi see Moscow?

Varma: New Delhi's view of Moscow is that our relationship with Russia remains one of the most important relationships in a fast-changing world. We see Russia as a partner, a very reliable partner, a long term partner and that is also reflected in the relationship between PM Modi and President Putin.&nbsp;

The two leaders have met on several occasions. This will be the bilateral summit in Vladivostok but they met in Osaka and Bishkek and on each occasion, our agenda for bilateral cooperation on regional and international cooperation has only expanded. Therefore, India and Russia are poised on a new trajectory of growth and we are very confident that Vladivostok bilateral summit will not only result in consolidating traditional pillars of cooperation between India and Russia &nbsp;- which is in the field of defence, nuclear, space and energy - but add to these traditional pillars. We will add new pillars of cooperation which will give a boosted momentum to our relations by including interregional cooperation.&nbsp;

We see commonalities in terms of economic cooperation, in terms of investments. You can expect some major announcements on how India-Russia relations will be diversified and cooperation in Russian far east will be a major component of that diversification.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

With curtains down on the G7 Summit where PM Modi held 6 bilaterals, the focus now shifts to Russia where he will visit next week for annual India-Russia Summit and the Eastern Economic Forum.

With curtains down on the G7 Summit where PM Modi held 6 bilaterals, the focus now shifts to Russia where he will visit next week for annual India-Russia Summit and the Eastern Economic Forum. Speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in Moscow, Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma said, New Delhi sees a reliable and a long term partner in Russia. He spoke at length on EAM Jaishankar and PM Modi's upcoming Russia visits. WION: How do u see the ties between the two countries? Varma: The special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia is now poised for a new leap forward. Today we start the visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for talks with his counterpart Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. There have been a series of high-level contacts between India and Russia - visits of two deputy Prime Ministers of Russia to India and the visit of NSA Doval to Moscow. Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan will also visit by the end of the month. Huge delegations, probably the largest Indian delegations visited Russia under the leadership of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and visits of four chief ministers to Vladivostok to prepare for the visit of PM Modi in early September. This has been a summer of intense activity in India-Russia relationship. WION: What will be the focus of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit? Varma: The primary purpose of Dr Jaishankar's visit is to finalise the preparations for PM Modi's visit to Vladivostok where we will also have the 20th annual summit between PM Modi and President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Our PM will be the chief guest at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 5. Our EAM's visit is intended to tie up preparations for the visit. This is the first visit of our EAM after taking charge and we will, therefore, have the opportunity to go through the entire gamut of bilateral, regional and international regions. We have a long tradition of talking to Russia, discussing the issue which is of interest to us. Russia increasingly looks at India as a partner not just in regional context but also as a global player. Russia has traditionally been a global player and that will be the focus of our discussions. Naturally, our cooperation in BRICS and SCO, both of which will be led by Russia next year and the RIC, is a matter of high priority for the Russian side. When India and Russia talk, common ground generally expand much more than we had in the past and we expect the same result from Dr Jaishankar's visit to Moscow. WION: Will Afghanistan be discussed? Varma: In the regional context, in terms of Afghanistan, it is a matter that will be addressed in considerable detail between India and Russia. As you know, talks in Doha are coming to a near conclusion and the outcome is of interest to India and Russia. We will exchange notes, we have a common interest, we would like Afghanistan to be a country, stable, peaceful and meet the interest of the Afghan people. We would like a peace process, that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled and we do hope gains that have been made in last 18 years will be preserved and we look forward to consolidating our relationship with Afghanistan, keeping this mind. WION: How does New Delhi see Moscow? Varma: New Delhi's view of Moscow is that our relationship with Russia remains one of the most important relationships in a fast-changing world. We see Russia as a partner, a very reliable partner, a long term partner and that is also reflected in the relationship between PM Modi and President Putin. The two leaders have met on several occasions. This will be the bilateral summit in Vladivostok but they met in Osaka and Bishkek and on each occasion, our agenda for bilateral cooperation on regional and international cooperation has only expanded. Therefore, India and Russia are poised on a new trajectory of growth and we are very confident that Vladivostok bilateral summit will not only result in consolidating traditional pillars of cooperation between India and Russia - which is in the field of defence, nuclear, space and energy - but add to these traditional pillars. We will add new pillars of cooperation which will give a boosted momentum to our relations by including interregional cooperation. We see commonalities in terms of economic cooperation, in terms of investments. You can expect some major announcements on how India-Russia relations will be diversified and cooperation in Russian far east will be a major component of that diversification.

Russia is a long-term reliable partner: India

In a court on the outskirts of Moscow, fellow students of Yegor Zhukov started weeping as he delivered a speech via a video link from jail. "I don't know if I'll become free myself," he said, "but Russia definitely will.

In a court on the outskirts of Moscow, fellow students of Yegor Zhukov started weeping as he delivered a speech via a video link from jail. "I don't know if I'll become free myself," he said, "but Russia definitely will." The 21-year-old is among a group of young protesters with bright futures risking criminal convictions and life-changing jail terms as Russia attempts to quell dissent. Zhukov is the most prominent among them thanks to his popular YouTube clips where he criticises President Vladimir Putin's regime and backs the anti-corruption campaign of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In recent weeks tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Moscow after authorities blocked Navalny's allies from running in next month's election for the city parliament. Police have arrested around 3,000 people at the biggest demonstrations the country has seen in years, but most were released shortly after. However, around 10 remain in pre-trial detention and face up to eight years in jail for participating in what prosecutors call "mass disorder". Several others are facing related charges such as attacking police. Zhukov, who was due to begin fourth-year studies at the prestigious Moscow Higher School of Economics (HSE), saw dozens of HSE students and teachers come out to support him at his recent appeal hearing, but the judge ruled he must stay in prison pending trial. "Many students feel that they could easily be in his place," said HSE postgraduate Armen Aramyan, 22, condemning what he called "lawless actions by this repressive machine." Anastasia Solovyova, a 20-year-old student, said she was still emotional after the judge's ruling. "I'm very upset right now," she said, adding that she was one of those who cried during the hearing. First-year law student Boris Karpyshev said, "You fear a lot for your future." From student to 'hero' The "mass disorder" charge Zhukov faces technically only applies to extreme acts such as setting property on fire and using weapons and explosives. None of this happened at the protest where he was arrested in late July, or at any other of the rallies, more of which are planned in coming weeks. As well as the courts, Russian pro-Kremlin media has been swift to accuse Zhukov, reporting that he was the "coordinator" of a mass protest. Private Ren-TV, known for negative coverage of the opposition, aired video it said showed him "deftly directing" the crowd. The case against him is solely based on these gestures, according to reports. More than 300 teaching staff at the HSE signed an open letter urging the court to close the case against Zhukov and the others. HSE, founded in 1992, is seen as one of Russia's most progressive schools and has said it will not expel him. But philosophy professor Kirill Martynov has predicted "quite a harsh collision of views" when the term starts in September as a group of teachers have urged the university to stay "outside politics". Zhukov was a "popular, independent student" but his behaviour after his arrest has made him a "hero" to many, Martynov said. 'He's patriotic' By contrast another of the detained students, Daniil Konon, who is studying engineering at Moscow's prestigious Bauman Institute, was not known to have strong political views. Konon is a former cadet who has taken part in military parades on Red Square. He attended the protest last month after collecting signatures in support of an opposition candidate as a summer job, his lawyer said. When election authorities rejected prominent opposition candidates' applications to stand, they cited faked signatures of support in several cases. Ren-TV showed him gesturing at protesters and he told the channel he was showing them which way to go. Fellow Bauman engineering student Daniil Khryashov, 21, said: "He's patriotic... he wasn't even against the current authorities." Konon went to the rally because he was upset that the authorities rejected the genuine signatures he had collected, Khryashov said. His mother Natalya Konon, who runs a dog shelter, told he "wasn't involved in politics" and hadn't gone to previous rallies. "He wasn't part of the opposition," she insisted. Also facing a criminal charge is Aidar Gubaidulin, who recently graduated from Moscow Physical and Technical University, a hot spot for top programmers. Rectors at several other leading Moscow universities have warned students against breaking the law at protests on pain of expulsion. Taking the rap The detentions have prompted some Russian celebrities to speak out in support, including popular rapper Oxxxymiron, whose real name is Miron Fyodorov. Not previously known for his political views, the 34-year-old wore a T-shirt with Zhukov's face at an August rally and attended court to offer him bail of two million rubles ($30,000). "Yegor Zhukov is clearly a principled, idealistic guy that didn't actually break any law," he told AFP. "If he's being accused of being the organiser of a riot but the riot didn't actually take place, that's clearly absurd." Explaining his decision to speak out now, the rapper said: "Everyone has their personal boiling point."

Tears, fear as Russian students jailed over opposition protests

Russia launches humanoid robot Fedor to assist astronauts on International Space Station

Russian President Vladimir Putin vows response to US missile test. Watch this video to know more.

WION Dispatch: Russian President Vladimir Putin vows response to US missile test

Syrian government forces backed by Russia are involved in heavy clashes in and around Syria's last rebel bastion of Idlib against armed-Assad groups. Watch the full video to know more.

Syrian airstrikes hit Turkish military convoy in Idlib

French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-seeks-ukraine-progress-from-putin-in-rare-pre-g7-talks-243465">Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed changes in Ukraine</a> had bolstered the chances of peace in its east but clashed on Syria, as the Russian leader made a rare bilateral visit to a key EU power.

Macron, who hosted Putin at his summer residence in southern France, made clear he wanted to keep contacts with Moscow alive on a range of issues even at a time of spiralling tensions with the West.

Speaking as their talks got underway, the pair both expressed optimism that the arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky as Ukraine's president had improved the chances of ending the half-decade conflict.

But they publicly sparred over the Syria civil war, where the Kremlin is a leading backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and also over the crackdown on protesters in Moscow.

The relationship between a youthful French leader who regards himself as a champion of European liberalism and the Russian strongman, in power for two decades, has been marked by wariness and tensions since Macron came to power in 2017.&nbsp;

'Profound worry'

Macron said he hoped to attend a summit with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and Germany -- the so-called Normandy format -- "in the next few weeks" to try to end fighting in eastern Ukraine.

"There is a real opportunity to put an end to the conflict that has been going on for five years," he told reporters in an open-air press conference at the start of talks.

Putin, who arrived at the remote retreat by helicopter, said,&nbsp;"There are things that are worth talking about and that give grounds for cautious optimism."

Macron also expressed "profound worry" about the bombing by regime forces of Syria's northern region of Idlib, telling Putin that it was "urgent" a ceasefire went into force.

"The population in Idlib is living under bombs, children are being killed," Macron told Putin.

But Putin appeared not to be swayed by the French president's appeal. "We support the efforts of the Syrian army... to end these terrorist threats," he replied, adding: "We never said that in Idlib terrorists would feel comfortable."

'Must resolve Ukraine'

Macron hosted Putin on a balmy early evening at the Bregancon fortress on France's Mediterranean coast, just days before he hosts world leaders including US President Donald Trump for the August 24-26 Group of Seven (G7) summit in Biarritz.

Russia was slung out of what was the G8 in 2014 after it seized Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, an annexation unrecognised by the international community.

The annexation was followed by a war in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists which has so far claimed more than 13,000 lives.

Macron has taken a keen interest in brokering an end to the conflict and forging any progress would be a major feather in his cap as an international statesman.

"Relations between Russia and the European Union have an irritant, a subject of disagreement, which is Ukraine, which is a problem we have to resolve," Macron told the Russian leader.

"We need to keep up our pressure, our energy to resolve this problem," he added.&nbsp;

Asked if Russia would return to the G8, Putin quipped that it could not come back to an organisation that no longer existed.

But with Trump set to lead the G7 in 2020, he added: "Any contacts with our partners, in any format are always useful. We don't rule anything out."

'Won't happen in Moscow'

Pressed by reporters over the Russian authorities crackdown on opposition protests in Moscow, Putin said he did not want a &nbsp;situation like the French "yellow vests" to arise in the Russian capital.

Macron was since November last year rocked by the yellow vest protests over social inequalities, although they have now eased somewhat.

"I am a guest here and it's uncomfortable for me to talk about this," said Putin, before reeling off casualty tolls from the yellow vest protests.&nbsp;

"We would not want such a thing to happen in the Russian capital... We will do everything to make sure the situation remains within the realms of the law," he said.

Macron responded that France was a country where people can "express themselves freely and demonstrate freely... but they cannot disturb public order".

French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed changes in Ukraine had bolstered the chances of peace in its east but clashed on Syria, as the Russian leader made a rare bilateral visit to a key EU power.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed changes in Ukraine had bolstered the chances of peace in its east but clashed on Syria, as the Russian leader made a rare bilateral visit to a key EU power. Macron, who hosted Putin at his summer residence in southern France, made clear he wanted to keep contacts with Moscow alive on a range of issues even at a time of spiralling tensions with the West. Speaking as their talks got underway, the pair both expressed optimism that the arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky as Ukraine's president had improved the chances of ending the half-decade conflict. But they publicly sparred over the Syria civil war, where the Kremlin is a leading backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and also over the crackdown on protesters in Moscow. The relationship between a youthful French leader who regards himself as a champion of European liberalism and the Russian strongman, in power for two decades, has been marked by wariness and tensions since Macron came to power in 2017. 'Profound worry' Macron said he hoped to attend a summit with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and Germany -- the so-called Normandy format -- "in the next few weeks" to try to end fighting in eastern Ukraine. "There is a real opportunity to put an end to the conflict that has been going on for five years," he told reporters in an open-air press conference at the start of talks. Putin, who arrived at the remote retreat by helicopter, said, "There are things that are worth talking about and that give grounds for cautious optimism." Macron also expressed "profound worry" about the bombing by regime forces of Syria's northern region of Idlib, telling Putin that it was "urgent" a ceasefire went into force. "The population in Idlib is living under bombs, children are being killed," Macron told Putin. But Putin appeared not to be swayed by the French president's appeal. "We support the efforts of the Syrian army... to end these terrorist threats," he replied, adding: "We never said that in Idlib terrorists would feel comfortable." 'Must resolve Ukraine' Macron hosted Putin on a balmy early evening at the Bregancon fortress on France's Mediterranean coast, just days before he hosts world leaders including US President Donald Trump for the August 24-26 Group of Seven (G7) summit in Biarritz. Russia was slung out of what was the G8 in 2014 after it seized Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, an annexation unrecognised by the international community. The annexation was followed by a war in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists which has so far claimed more than 13,000 lives. Macron has taken a keen interest in brokering an end to the conflict and forging any progress would be a major feather in his cap as an international statesman. "Relations between Russia and the European Union have an irritant, a subject of disagreement, which is Ukraine, which is a problem we have to resolve," Macron told the Russian leader. "We need to keep up our pressure, our energy to resolve this problem," he added. Asked if Russia would return to the G8, Putin quipped that it could not come back to an organisation that no longer existed. But with Trump set to lead the G7 in 2020, he added: "Any contacts with our partners, in any format are always useful. We don't rule anything out." 'Won't happen in Moscow' Pressed by reporters over the Russian authorities crackdown on opposition protests in Moscow, Putin said he did not want a situation like the French "yellow vests" to arise in the Russian capital. Macron was since November last year rocked by the yellow vest protests over social inequalities, although they have now eased somewhat. "I am a guest here and it's uncomfortable for me to talk about this," said Putin, before reeling off casualty tolls from the yellow vest protests. "We would not want such a thing to happen in the Russian capital... We will do everything to make sure the situation remains within the realms of the law," he said. Macron responded that France was a country where people can "express themselves freely and demonstrate freely... but they cannot disturb public order".

Russia's Vladimir Putin voices 'cautious optimism' on Ukraine in meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron

Moscow was set for fresh protests Saturday, the latest in a wave of demonstrations that has seen tens of thousands take to the streets after opposition figures were banned from local elections a month ago.

Moscow was set for fresh protests Saturday, the latest in a wave of demonstrations that has seen tens of thousands take to the streets after opposition figures were banned from local elections a month ago. The rallies, which have taken place every Saturday since the ruling, are the biggest since mass protests broke out in 2011 against President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin after a term as prime minister. Police have come down hard on the demonstrations, which have tapped into wider anger over declining living standards and a stalling economy. Some 3,000 people have been arrested for taking part and prominent members of the opposition, including top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, remain behind bars. At previous events police have used batons on protesters and grabbed people from the streets indiscriminately. Organisers of Saturday's event are planning single-person pickets, in which one person at a time holds a protest sign, as these do not technically need approval from authorities to go ahead. An approved Communist Party rally for free elections is set to be held earlier in the day. Prosecutors have launched criminal cases against about a dozen protesters for "mass unrest", with potential prison sentences of up to eight years. They stand accused of offences including throwing plastic water bottles at officers. The Moscow city hall elections set for September 8 were, until last month, a relatively minor event on Russia's political calendar. But the issue blew up after election authorities refused to register various opposition candidates over alleged violations including faking the signatures needed to qualify. Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power. Police violence The Kremlin commented on the month-long protests for the first time this week, seeking to play down the significance of the rallies. "We do not agree with those who call what is happening a political crisis," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who defended an "absolutely justified" police response. Video of a policeman punching a woman in the stomach as she was being detained after a sanctioned protest last week went viral. The interior ministry said it was opening an investigation. Russian political scientist Ekaterina Shulmann said the cases against participants were "making people angry -- they are broadly perceived as unjust and disproportionately cruel". While they have a "terrorising effect in the sense that people may be afraid to get out on the streets, at the same time they strengthen the protest mood because they are so blatantly unfair," she told. Independent analyst Masha Lipman said the protests were now more "emotional" than political. "The protest movement is politically weak, there's no clear goal," she said, adding that many were "outraged" by the repressive actions of authorities. Popular figures such as rapper Oxxxymiron and YouTube star Yury Dud have come out in support of the demonstrations, urging their fans and followers to go to sanctioned rallies. Moscow has accused foreign governments and media of backing the protests, and next week Russian lawmakers will hold a special session to discuss the alleged "meddling". Authorities have meanwhile upped the pressure on the opposition, focusing on Navalny's anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin. Investigators have raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged money laundering and a court froze the organisation's accounts.

Moscow set for fresh protests after month of rallies

Russian opposition activists staged a string of pickets in central Moscow on Saturday to call for free elections and for charges against protesters detained at recent rallies to be dropped.

Moscow has been rocked by<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../russian-opposition-plans-major-moscow-protest -after-crackdown-241936"> weekly protests</a> for more than a month since the authorities barred opposition candidates from running in an election for the city's legislature in September.

Police have briefly detained more than 2,000 protesters in recent weeks, launched criminal cases against some dozen people for mass disorder and used force to disperse what they said were illegal protests.

In contrast, Saturday's solo pickets, spread across three locations in Moscow, were peaceful and opposition supporters scarce.

The recent opposition demonstrations have turned into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/political-tensions-escalate-in-russia-239479">biggest sustained protest movement in Russia</a> since 2011-2013 when protesters took to the streets against perceived electoral fraud.

Earlier on Saturday, some 4,000 people attended a Communist rally in Moscow that had been authorised by the authorities to call for "clear and honest elections" in Moscow, police said.

Russian opposition activists staged a string of pickets in central Moscow on Saturday to call for free elections and for charges against protesters detained at recent rallies to be dropped.

Russian opposition activists staged a string of pickets in central Moscow on Saturday to call for free elections and for charges against protesters detained at recent rallies to be dropped. Moscow has been rocked by weekly protests for more than a month since the authorities barred opposition candidates from running in an election for the city's legislature in September. Police have briefly detained more than 2,000 protesters in recent weeks, launched criminal cases against some dozen people for mass disorder and used force to disperse what they said were illegal protests. In contrast, Saturday's solo pickets, spread across three locations in Moscow, were peaceful and opposition supporters scarce. The recent opposition demonstrations have turned into the biggest sustained protest movement in Russia since 2011-2013 when protesters took to the streets against perceived electoral fraud. Earlier on Saturday, some 4,000 people attended a Communist rally in Moscow that had been authorised by the authorities to call for "clear and honest elections" in Moscow, police said.

Russian opposition activists picket for free elections

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks on September 4, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Friday.

"On September 4, bilateral talks with Indian prime minister Modi will be held on the sidelines of the forum, they will take up most of the day," Ushakov told reporters.

Ushakov said that the two leaders were expected to have a discussion and sign agreements. Modi will be awarded the Order of St. Andrew, Ushakov added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks on September 4, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks on September 4, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Friday. "On September 4, bilateral talks with Indian prime minister Modi will be held on the sidelines of the forum, they will take up most of the day," Ushakov told reporters. Ushakov said that the two leaders were expected to have a discussion and sign agreements. Modi will be awarded the Order of St. Andrew, Ushakov added.

PM Modi, Vladimir Putin to hold talks on September 4: Kremlin aide

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Heroes of Russia titles to the two pilots who landed their plane in a cornfield as both engines failed after colliding with a flock of gulls during takeoff. The pilots and the crew were swiftly hailed for their high professionalism that saved lives of all 233 people on board the fully loaded plane.

"I signed a decree to award the crew of an aircraft, which, as you know, performed an emergency landing at Zhukovsky airport. The aircraft commander and the second pilot were awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation titles, all other crew members were awarded the Order of Courage," the head of state said opening a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council.

The Airbus A321 aircraft, belonging to Russia's Ural Airlines, was bound for Crimea's capital of Simferopol. It took off from the Moscow Region's Zhukovsky airport at 6:05 am local time (3:05 GMT) on Thursday. Just after taking off from from the runway, it struck a flock of gulls, which disrupted the work of the plane's both engines and forced it to land on a nearby cornfield.

"Numerous birds hit the engines of the plane making the U6178 flight Zhukovsky-Simferopol from Zhukovsky. The plane was forced to land. The crew and passengers have not been hurt," Ural Airlines reported soon after the incident.

BELLY LANDING

The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, also known as Rosaviatsiya, later confirmed the account of the events.

"The landing gear was retracted during the landing. The crew members have turned the engines off before the landing," Rosaviatsiya said, stressing that there was no fire on board.

The agency added that the crew had evacuated the passengers properly, using emergency escape slides.

'HEROES'

According to the latest data, 76 people, including 19 children, have sought medical assistance in the wake of the hard landing, with only one woman remaining in hospital in the Moscow region's town of Ramenskoye. Her condition is assessed as being "close to satisfactory".

Soon after the information that the crew managed to safely land the fully loaded plane after both engines failed emerged, the accident has been dubbed in media as a "miracle," with media swiftly posting photos of the captain, pilot Damir Yusupov, and other crew members, taken from their social media accounts.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that the Kremlin viewed the pilots as heroes, who saved dozens of lives.

"The plane's passengers and crew remained alive, we wish a speedy recovery to those injured, and congratulations to the hero pilots who saved lives and landed the plane," Peskov told reporters.

INVESTIGATION

The Russian Investigative Committee, meanwhile, announced that it had launched a criminal probe into violation of air traffic safety rules and aircraft operation after the accident involving the A321 plane.

"Investigative bodies of the Moscow interregional transport prosecutor's office of the Investigative Committee have launched a criminal proceeding for offenses under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Russian Criminal Code (violation of the rules for traffic safety and operation of the air transport) after the hard landing of the passenger aircraft traveling from Moscow to Simferopol," the committee said.

In line with a standard procedure, the crew have been grounded by Ural Airlines for the period of the check.

The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), headquartered in Moscow, has set up a special commission to investigate the reasons behind the hard landing. Experts from France's Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority (BEA) have already announced that they will arrive in Moscow on August 16 to take part in the investigation.

Meanwhile, a representative of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency told Sputnik that the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder of the aircraft had not been damaged and would be sent to the IAC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Heroes of Russia titles to the two pilots who landed their plane in a cornfield as both engines failed after colliding with a flock of gulls during takeoff.

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Heroes of Russia titles to the two pilots who landed their plane in a cornfield as both engines failed after colliding with a flock of gulls during takeoff. The pilots and the crew were swiftly hailed for their high professionalism that saved lives of all 233 people on board the fully loaded plane. "I signed a decree to award the crew of an aircraft, which, as you know, performed an emergency landing at Zhukovsky airport. The aircraft commander and the second pilot were awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation titles, all other crew members were awarded the Order of Courage," the head of state said opening a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council. The Airbus A321 aircraft, belonging to Russia's Ural Airlines, was bound for Crimea's capital of Simferopol. It took off from the Moscow Region's Zhukovsky airport at 6:05 am local time (3:05 GMT) on Thursday. Just after taking off from from the runway, it struck a flock of gulls, which disrupted the work of the plane's both engines and forced it to land on a nearby cornfield. "Numerous birds hit the engines of the plane making the U6178 flight Zhukovsky-Simferopol from Zhukovsky. The plane was forced to land. The crew and passengers have not been hurt," Ural Airlines reported soon after the incident. BELLY LANDING The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, also known as Rosaviatsiya, later confirmed the account of the events. "The landing gear was retracted during the landing. The crew members have turned the engines off before the landing," Rosaviatsiya said, stressing that there was no fire on board. The agency added that the crew had evacuated the passengers properly, using emergency escape slides. 'HEROES' According to the latest data, 76 people, including 19 children, have sought medical assistance in the wake of the hard landing, with only one woman remaining in hospital in the Moscow region's town of Ramenskoye. Her condition is assessed as being "close to satisfactory". Soon after the information that the crew managed to safely land the fully loaded plane after both engines failed emerged, the accident has been dubbed in media as a "miracle," with media swiftly posting photos of the captain, pilot Damir Yusupov, and other crew members, taken from their social media accounts. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that the Kremlin viewed the pilots as heroes, who saved dozens of lives. "The plane's passengers and crew remained alive, we wish a speedy recovery to those injured, and congratulations to the hero pilots who saved lives and landed the plane," Peskov told reporters. INVESTIGATION The Russian Investigative Committee, meanwhile, announced that it had launched a criminal probe into violation of air traffic safety rules and aircraft operation after the accident involving the A321 plane. "Investigative bodies of the Moscow interregional transport prosecutor's office of the Investigative Committee have launched a criminal proceeding for offenses under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Russian Criminal Code (violation of the rules for traffic safety and operation of the air transport) after the hard landing of the passenger aircraft traveling from Moscow to Simferopol," the committee said. In line with a standard procedure, the crew have been grounded by Ural Airlines for the period of the check. The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), headquartered in Moscow, has set up a special commission to investigate the reasons behind the hard landing. Experts from France's Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority (BEA) have already announced that they will arrive in Moscow on August 16 to take part in the investigation. Meanwhile, a representative of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency told Sputnik that the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder of the aircraft had not been damaged and would be sent to the IAC.

Russia's 'hero pilots' who landed plane in cornfield after gull strike awarded by President Vladimir Putin

How Russia's President Vladimir Putin Nurtured His Personality Cult. Here's a report which explores the personality cult of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

WION Gravitas: The cult of Vladimir Putin

The Kremlin boasted on Tuesday it was winning the race to develop new cutting edge<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russians-killed-in-missile-test-blast-were-working-on-new-weapons-242543"> nuclear weapons</a> despite a mysterious rocket accident last week in northern Russia that caused a temporary spike in radiation levels.

Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear agency, has said that the August 8 accident occurred during a rocket test on a sea platform in the White Sea, killing at least five and injuring three more.

It has pledged to keep developing new weapons regardless, portraying the men who died in the test as heroes.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump had said on Twitter on Monday that the United States was<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-has-advanced-weapons-than-the-failed-russian-skyfall-missile-donald-trump-242558"> "learning much" from the explosion </a>which he suggested happened during the testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile vaunted by President Vladimir Putin last year.

Russia, which has said the missile will have an "unlimited range" and be able to overcome any defences, calls the missile the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel). The NATO alliance has designated it the SSC-X-9 Skyfall.

Trump said on Twitter that the United States had "similar, though more advanced, technology" and said Russians were worried about the air quality around the facility and far beyond, a situation he described as "Not good!"

But when asked about his comments on Tuesday, the Kremlin said it, not the United States, was out in front when it came to developing new nuclear weapons.

"Our president has repeatedly said that Russian engineering in this sector significantly outstrips the level that other countries have managed to reach for the moment, and it is fairly unique," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin used his state-of-the-nation speech in 2018 to unveil what he described as a raft of invincible new nuclear weapons, including a nuclear-powered cruise missile, an underwater nuclear-powered drone, and a laser weapon.

Tensions between Moscow and Washington over arms control have been exacerbated by the demise this month of a landmark nuclear treaty.

Russia says it is also concerned that another landmark arms control treaty will soon expire.

In a sign of how serious the situation in the accident area remains, Russian authorities have advised residents of the nearby village of Nyonoksa to leave while clear-up work is being carried out, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, citing local officials.

Russia's state weather service also said on Tuesday that radiation levels in the nearby city of Severodvinsk had spiked by up to 16 times last Thursday, while medics who treated victims of the accident have been sent to Moscow for a medical examination, the TASS news agency reported.

It said the medics had signed non-disclosure agreements about the nature of the accident.

The Kremlin boasted on Tuesday it was winning the race to develop new cutting edge nuclear weapons despite a mysterious rocket accident last week in northern Russia that caused a temporary spike in radiation levels.

The Kremlin boasted on Tuesday it was winning the race to develop new cutting edge nuclear weapons despite a mysterious rocket accident last week in northern Russia that caused a temporary spike in radiation levels. Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear agency, has said that the August 8 accident occurred during a rocket test on a sea platform in the White Sea, killing at least five and injuring three more. It has pledged to keep developing new weapons regardless, portraying the men who died in the test as heroes. US President Donald Trump had said on Twitter on Monday that the United States was "learning much" from the explosion which he suggested happened during the testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile vaunted by President Vladimir Putin last year. Russia, which has said the missile will have an "unlimited range" and be able to overcome any defences, calls the missile the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel). The NATO alliance has designated it the SSC-X-9 Skyfall. Trump said on Twitter that the United States had "similar, though more advanced, technology" and said Russians were worried about the air quality around the facility and far beyond, a situation he described as "Not good!" But when asked about his comments on Tuesday, the Kremlin said it, not the United States, was out in front when it came to developing new nuclear weapons. "Our president has repeatedly said that Russian engineering in this sector significantly outstrips the level that other countries have managed to reach for the moment, and it is fairly unique," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin used his state-of-the-nation speech in 2018 to unveil what he described as a raft of invincible new nuclear weapons, including a nuclear-powered cruise missile, an underwater nuclear-powered drone, and a laser weapon. Tensions between Moscow and Washington over arms control have been exacerbated by the demise this month of a landmark nuclear treaty. Russia says it is also concerned that another landmark arms control treaty will soon expire. In a sign of how serious the situation in the accident area remains, Russian authorities have advised residents of the nearby village of Nyonoksa to leave while clear-up work is being carried out, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, citing local officials. Russia's state weather service also said on Tuesday that radiation levels in the nearby city of Severodvinsk had spiked by up to 16 times last Thursday, while medics who treated victims of the accident have been sent to Moscow for a medical examination, the TASS news agency reported. It said the medics had signed non-disclosure agreements about the nature of the accident.

Winning arms race against US despite rocket accident: Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attended a biker show organized by the Night Wolves motorcycle club on the peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, amid vast protests in Moscow and several Russian cities on (August 10).

Putin joins bikers for a ride in Crimea

Russian opposition supporters plan a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-us-of-meddling-over-publication-of-protest-map-241738">major protest in Moscow</a> on Saturday after police detained thousands at recent demonstrations that have been among the largest since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012.

In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow elections next month.

Riot police and the national guard have used more violent tactics than previously and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/1400-arrested-at-moscow-election-protest-238988">detained more than 2,000 at the last two rallies</a>, which were not authorised by city officials.&nbsp;

Most opposition candidates who have been banned from participating in the vote have been jailed for violating protest laws. &nbsp;

A dozen protesters including university students face criminal charges of "mass disorder" that call for lengthy jail terms, despite their supporters insisting protests were peaceful.

Saturday's rally has been authorised which means participants should not face detention for protesting at the agreed location, but Navalny, who is currently in jail, has urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards.

Moscow police and the powerful Investigative Committee issued a warning against participating in unsanctioned protests which it said would be "immediately halted."

Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, popular electronic and rap musicians are expected to play at the rally and mainstream celebrities have announced they will attend.

One of Russia's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, urged his fans to go, as did a star YouTube blogger Yury Dud.

"Let's not accept it as normal when innocent people are thrown in jail or harshly beaten up by police," Dud wrote on Instagram to his 2.3 million followers.

'Attempt to gag us'

The latest demonstrations come as the authorities this week mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin.

On Thursday investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts.

"This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence.

One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, has been on hunger strike for weeks after being refused as a candidate in Moscow.&nbsp;

"These are all acts of political intimidation, political repression," she told journalists on Friday, condemning the criminal cases launched against activists as "fabricated and politically motivated."

As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly in recent months and critics say authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change.

Moscow has even accused the US of encouraging people to attend protests after the embassy posted the route of a recent march along with warnings to avoid the area.

"The repressive scenario that the authorities are relying on can probably dampen down open discontent but is hardly likely to reach the root of the problem," wrote Vedomosti daily in an editorial.

"A large section of society is not represented in power."

Russian opposition supporters plan a major protest in Moscow on Saturday after police detained thousands at recent demonstrations that have been among the largest since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012.

Russian opposition supporters plan a major protest in Moscow on Saturday after police detained thousands at recent demonstrations that have been among the largest since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012. In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow elections next month. Riot police and the national guard have used more violent tactics than previously and detained more than 2,000 at the last two rallies, which were not authorised by city officials. Most opposition candidates who have been banned from participating in the vote have been jailed for violating protest laws. A dozen protesters including university students face criminal charges of "mass disorder" that call for lengthy jail terms, despite their supporters insisting protests were peaceful. Saturday's rally has been authorised which means participants should not face detention for protesting at the agreed location, but Navalny, who is currently in jail, has urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards. Moscow police and the powerful Investigative Committee issued a warning against participating in unsanctioned protests which it said would be "immediately halted." Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, popular electronic and rap musicians are expected to play at the rally and mainstream celebrities have announced they will attend. One of Russia's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, urged his fans to go, as did a star YouTube blogger Yury Dud. "Let's not accept it as normal when innocent people are thrown in jail or harshly beaten up by police," Dud wrote on Instagram to his 2.3 million followers. 'Attempt to gag us' The latest demonstrations come as the authorities this week mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin. On Thursday investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts. "This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence. One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, has been on hunger strike for weeks after being refused as a candidate in Moscow. "These are all acts of political intimidation, political repression," she told journalists on Friday, condemning the criminal cases launched against activists as "fabricated and politically motivated." As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly in recent months and critics say authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change. Moscow has even accused the US of encouraging people to attend protests after the embassy posted the route of a recent march along with warnings to avoid the area. "The repressive scenario that the authorities are relying on can probably dampen down open discontent but is hardly likely to reach the root of the problem," wrote Vedomosti daily in an editorial. "A large section of society is not represented in power."

Russian opposition plans major Moscow protest after crackdown

Almost 50,000 opposition supporters rallied in Moscow Saturday at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-plans-major-moscow-protest-after-crackdown-241936">one of the largest protests </a>since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-accuses-us-of-encouraging-people-to-protest-in-moscow-241853">Protesters</a> crowded the central Prospekt Andreya Sakharova street, where city authorities deployed a massive police presence, including officers in riot gear, after giving permission for the rally to go ahead.

The White Counter, an NGO that tracks participants in rallies, counted 49,900 people, while Moscow police gave a much lower attendance figure of 20,000.

In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow polls next month.

On Saturday, some protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Give us the right to vote!" and "You've lied to us enough" while others held up pictures of activists arrested at earlier demonstrations.&nbsp;

"I'm outraged by this injustice at every level. They're not letting candidates stand who have collected all the necessary signatures. They are arresting people who are protesting peacefully," said one protester, Irina Dargolts, a 60-year-old engineer.

"It feels like the country is a prisoner and its citizens are hostages... No one represents the people," said Dmitry Khobbotovsky, an activist for the Open Russia movement funded by Kremlin foe and former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, one of the country's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, attended the rally and another popular rapper Face performed on stage.

"I'm performing here today so that my people have freedom and the right to choose," said Face, 22, known for his facial tattoos.

Riot police and the national guard detained more than 2,000 at the previous two rallies, which were not authorised by city officials, and a dozen protesters face criminal charges of "mass disorder".

Most opposition candidates who have been banned from participating in the vote have also now been jailed for violating protest laws. &nbsp;

One of the rally speakers was the wife of opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov, who is serving a 30-day sentence.

"Each of us has the right to run for office and they are very afraid of that," said Valeriya Gudkova.&nbsp;

"We have real support from the public and they just have criminals in their electoral commissions."&nbsp;

While Saturday's rally was authorised, Navalny, who is currently in jail, urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards, when they would risk detention for illegal protests.

One of Navalny's associates, Boris Zolotarevsky, at the end of the rally urged protesters to go to Putin's presidential administration offices in central Moscow. He was detained by police shortly afterwards.

Moscow police and the powerful Investigative Committee issued a warning ahead of the rally saying unsanctioned protests would be "immediately halted."

Eight people were detained in Moscow at Saturday's demonstration, while 51 were detained at protests in Russia's second largest city of Saint Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an NGO that monitors protests.

- 'Attempt to gag us' -

As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly and critics say the authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change.

The latest demonstration came this week as authorities mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin.

One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, was detained Saturday morning at her campaign office by police in riot gear, she wrote on social media.&nbsp;

Riot police also raided the studio where Navalny's supporters were set to run a live broadcast of the protest, activists said.

On Thursday, investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts.

"This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence. 
&nbsp;

Almost 50,000 opposition supporters rallied in Moscow Saturday at one of the largest protests since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012. Protesters crowded the central Prospekt Andreya Sakharova street, where city authorities deployed a massive police presence, including officers in riot gear, after giving permission for the rally to go ahead.

Almost 50,000 opposition supporters rallied in Moscow Saturday at one of the largest protests since President Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin in 2012. Protesters crowded the central Prospekt Andreya Sakharova street, where city authorities deployed a massive police presence, including officers in riot gear, after giving permission for the rally to go ahead. The White Counter, an NGO that tracks participants in rallies, counted 49,900 people, while Moscow police gave a much lower attendance figure of 20,000. In recent weeks, thousands have attended street protests calling for free and fair elections after the exclusion of several opposition figures, including allies of top Putin critic Alexei Navalny, from local Moscow polls next month. On Saturday, some protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Give us the right to vote!" and "You've lied to us enough" while others held up pictures of activists arrested at earlier demonstrations. "I'm outraged by this injustice at every level. They're not letting candidates stand who have collected all the necessary signatures. They are arresting people who are protesting peacefully," said one protester, Irina Dargolts, a 60-year-old engineer. "It feels like the country is a prisoner and its citizens are hostages... No one represents the people," said Dmitry Khobbotovsky, an activist for the Open Russia movement funded by Kremlin foe and former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Showing the movement's appeal to young Russians, one of the country's most famous rappers, Oxxxymiron, attended the rally and another popular rapper Face performed on stage. "I'm performing here today so that my people have freedom and the right to choose," said Face, 22, known for his facial tattoos. Riot police and the national guard detained more than 2,000 at the previous two rallies, which were not authorised by city officials, and a dozen protesters face criminal charges of "mass disorder". Most opposition candidates who have been banned from participating in the vote have also now been jailed for violating protest laws. One of the rally speakers was the wife of opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov, who is serving a 30-day sentence. "Each of us has the right to run for office and they are very afraid of that," said Valeriya Gudkova. "We have real support from the public and they just have criminals in their electoral commissions." While Saturday's rally was authorised, Navalny, who is currently in jail, urged supporters to walk peacefully through the city afterwards, when they would risk detention for illegal protests. One of Navalny's associates, Boris Zolotarevsky, at the end of the rally urged protesters to go to Putin's presidential administration offices in central Moscow. He was detained by police shortly afterwards. Moscow police and the powerful Investigative Committee issued a warning ahead of the rally saying unsanctioned protests would be "immediately halted." Eight people were detained in Moscow at Saturday's demonstration, while 51 were detained at protests in Russia's second largest city of Saint Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an NGO that monitors protests. - 'Attempt to gag us' - As he enters his third decade in power, Putin's approval ratings have dropped significantly and critics say the authorities fear any outlet calling for wider political change. The latest demonstration came this week as authorities mounted their harshest attack yet on Navalny's team, focusing on his anti-corruption foundation which publishes investigations of officials close to Putin. One of the foundation's lawyers, Lyubov Sobol, was detained Saturday morning at her campaign office by police in riot gear, she wrote on social media. Riot police also raided the studio where Navalny's supporters were set to run a live broadcast of the protest, activists said. On Thursday, investigators raided the foundation's office as part of a probe into alleged acceptance of donations of laundered money and a court froze the foundation's accounts. "This is the most aggressive attempt yet to gag us," Navalny wrote in a blog entry he issued through lawyers while serving a 30-day sentence.

Tens of thousands call for fair elections at Moscow rally

Russian Opposition protests against Vladimir Putin's grip on power. Russian police detained 381 people in central Moscow during an unauthorized opposition protest on August 3, local news agency Fontanka reported. About 1,000 people were detained last week in Russia. Watch this video to know more.

Russia protests: Moscow erupts in demonstration again

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-detain-dozens-at-moscow-opposition-protest-240467">Russian police forcibly detained</a> over 800 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-prominent-opposition-activist-before-protest-240446">prominent activist Lyubov Sobol</a>, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal.

Police removed Sobol from a taxi and bundled her into a van minutes before the start of what anti-Kremlin activists described as a peaceful walk to protest against the exclusion of their candidates from an election next month.

Soon after the start of the protest, a Reuters reporter saw several hundred people milling around at one of the designated protest points in central Moscow. Minutes later, a line of riot police began to squeeze people out of the area.

OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police had detained 828 people, in some cases beating them with truncheons as they lay on the floor. Reuters reporters witnessed dozens of arrests. In one case police carried off a man as he clung upside down to his bicycle.

Police said they had detained 600 and said 1,500 had attended the protest, though footage of demonstrations which flared in different parts of Moscow suggested many more had taken part.

Saturday's protest was smaller than one a week earlier but underlined the determination of some Kremlin critics -- especially younger people -- to keep pressing to open up Russia's tightly-choreographed political system.

The focus of protesters' anger is a prohibition on a number of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow's city legislature.

That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021.

Authorities say opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win.

"They (the authorities) are wiping their feet on us," said Elena, a student attending Saturday's protest.

Another attendee, Yevgeny Snetkov, a 61-year-old engineer, described as brazen the way the authorities had prevented opposition candidates from running. "I had no option left but to protest," he said.

Some protesters chanted "Putin is a thief" as they marched.

International condemnation

Observers said the police presence was one of the biggest at such a protest in nearly a decade. Mobile internet access was cut in some areas and police cordoned off swathes of central Moscow to stop people gathering.

At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,300 in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought wide international condemnation.

Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches before Saturday's protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail.

Activists say the Russian constitution allows them to freely protest. But authorities say they need to agree the timing and location of any demonstrations in advance, something that was not done ahead of Saturday's protest.

Opposition activists say the authorities have repeatedly refused to allow protests in central Moscow, leaving them with no choice but to go ahead anyway.

At least eight of Sobol's allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. The ruling United Russia dominates the national parliament and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time.

Russian investigators said on Saturday they had opened a criminal investigation into the alleged laundering of 1 billion roubles ($15.3 million) by an anti-corruption foundation which Navalny set up. Navalny and his allies say the foundation is transparently financed from public donations.

President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff with the opposition, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that Saturday's demonstration had not been approved and its organisers could be brought to account.

At well over 60 per cent, Putin's approval rating is still high compared with many other world leaders, but is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes.

Last year the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian police forcibly detained over 800 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal.

Russian police forcibly detained over 800 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal. Police removed Sobol from a taxi and bundled her into a van minutes before the start of what anti-Kremlin activists described as a peaceful walk to protest against the exclusion of their candidates from an election next month. Soon after the start of the protest, a Reuters reporter saw several hundred people milling around at one of the designated protest points in central Moscow. Minutes later, a line of riot police began to squeeze people out of the area. OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police had detained 828 people, in some cases beating them with truncheons as they lay on the floor. Reuters reporters witnessed dozens of arrests. In one case police carried off a man as he clung upside down to his bicycle. Police said they had detained 600 and said 1,500 had attended the protest, though footage of demonstrations which flared in different parts of Moscow suggested many more had taken part. Saturday's protest was smaller than one a week earlier but underlined the determination of some Kremlin critics -- especially younger people -- to keep pressing to open up Russia's tightly-choreographed political system. The focus of protesters' anger is a prohibition on a number of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow's city legislature. That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021. Authorities say opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win. "They (the authorities) are wiping their feet on us," said Elena, a student attending Saturday's protest. Another attendee, Yevgeny Snetkov, a 61-year-old engineer, described as brazen the way the authorities had prevented opposition candidates from running. "I had no option left but to protest," he said. Some protesters chanted "Putin is a thief" as they marched. International condemnation Observers said the police presence was one of the biggest at such a protest in nearly a decade. Mobile internet access was cut in some areas and police cordoned off swathes of central Moscow to stop people gathering. At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,300 in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought wide international condemnation. Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches before Saturday's protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail. Activists say the Russian constitution allows them to freely protest. But authorities say they need to agree the timing and location of any demonstrations in advance, something that was not done ahead of Saturday's protest. Opposition activists say the authorities have repeatedly refused to allow protests in central Moscow, leaving them with no choice but to go ahead anyway. At least eight of Sobol's allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. The ruling United Russia dominates the national parliament and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time. Russian investigators said on Saturday they had opened a criminal investigation into the alleged laundering of 1 billion roubles ($15.3 million) by an anti-corruption foundation which Navalny set up. Navalny and his allies say the foundation is transparently financed from public donations. President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff with the opposition, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that Saturday's demonstration had not been approved and its organisers could be brought to account. At well over 60 per cent, Putin's approval rating is still high compared with many other world leaders, but is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian police detain over 800 in opposition crackdown in Moscow

Russian police forcibly detained nearly 700 people attending a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-police-detain-prominent-opposition-activist-before-protest-240446">protest in Moscow</a> on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal.

Police removed Sobol from a taxi and bundled her into a van minutes before the start of what anti-Kremlin activists described as a peaceful walk to protest against the exclusion of their candidates from an election next month.

Soon after the start of the protest, a Reuters reporter saw several hundred people milling around at one of the designated protest points in central Moscow. Minutes later, a line of riot police began to squeeze people out of the area.

OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police had detained 685 people, in some cases beating them with truncheons as they lay on the floor. Reuters reporters witnessed dozens of arrests. In one case police carried off a man as he clung upside down to his bicycle.

Police said they had detained 600 and said 1,500 had attended the protest, though footage of demonstrations which flared in different parts of Moscow suggested many more had taken part.

Saturday's protest was smaller than one a week earlier but underlined the determination of some Kremlin critics -- especially younger people -- to keep pressing to open up Russia's tightly-choreographed political system.

The focus of protesters' anger is a prohibition on a number of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-launches-probe-against-kremlin-critic-alexei-navalnys-anti-graft-group-240459">jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny</a>, from taking part in a September election for Moscow's city legislature.

That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021.

Authorities say opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win.

"They (the authorities) are wiping their feet on us," said Elena, a student attending Saturday's protest.

Another attendee, Yevgeny Snetkov, a 61-year-old engineer, described as brazen the way the authorities had prevented opposition candidates from running. "I had no option left but to protest," he said.

Some protesters chanted "Putin is a thief" as they marched.

International condemnation

Observers said the police presence was one of the biggest at such a protest in nearly a decade. Mobile internet access went down in some areas and police cordoned off swathes of central Moscow to stop people gathering.

At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,300 in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought wide international condemnation.

Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches before Saturday's protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail.

Activists say the Russian constitution allows them to freely protest. But authorities say they need to agree the timing and location of any demonstrations in advance, something that was not done ahead of Saturday's protest.

Opposition activists say the authorities have repeatedly refused to allow protests in central Moscow, leaving them with no choice but to go ahead anyway.

At least eight of Sobol's allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. The ruling United Russia dominates the national parliament and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time.

Russian investigators said on Saturday they had opened a criminal investigation into the alleged laundering of 1 billion roubles ($15.3 million) by an anti-corruption foundation which Navalny set up. Navalny and his allies say the foundation is transparently financed from public donations.

President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff with the opposition, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that Saturday's demonstration had not been approved and its organisers could be brought to account.

At well over 60 percent, Putin's approval rating is still high compared with many other world leaders, but is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes.

Last year the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian police forcibly detained nearly 700 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal.

Russian police forcibly detained nearly 700 people attending a protest in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections, including prominent activist Lyubov Sobol, after authorities warned the demonstration was illegal. Police removed Sobol from a taxi and bundled her into a van minutes before the start of what anti-Kremlin activists described as a peaceful walk to protest against the exclusion of their candidates from an election next month. Soon after the start of the protest, a Reuters reporter saw several hundred people milling around at one of the designated protest points in central Moscow. Minutes later, a line of riot police began to squeeze people out of the area. OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police had detained 685 people, in some cases beating them with truncheons as they lay on the floor. Reuters reporters witnessed dozens of arrests. In one case police carried off a man as he clung upside down to his bicycle. Police said they had detained 600 and said 1,500 had attended the protest, though footage of demonstrations which flared in different parts of Moscow suggested many more had taken part. Saturday's protest was smaller than one a week earlier but underlined the determination of some Kremlin critics -- especially younger people -- to keep pressing to open up Russia's tightly-choreographed political system. The focus of protesters' anger is a prohibition on a number of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow's city legislature. That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021. Authorities say opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win. "They (the authorities) are wiping their feet on us," said Elena, a student attending Saturday's protest. Another attendee, Yevgeny Snetkov, a 61-year-old engineer, described as brazen the way the authorities had prevented opposition candidates from running. "I had no option left but to protest," he said. Some protesters chanted "Putin is a thief" as they marched. International condemnation Observers said the police presence was one of the biggest at such a protest in nearly a decade. Mobile internet access went down in some areas and police cordoned off swathes of central Moscow to stop people gathering. At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,300 in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought wide international condemnation. Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches before Saturday's protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail. Activists say the Russian constitution allows them to freely protest. But authorities say they need to agree the timing and location of any demonstrations in advance, something that was not done ahead of Saturday's protest. Opposition activists say the authorities have repeatedly refused to allow protests in central Moscow, leaving them with no choice but to go ahead anyway. At least eight of Sobol's allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. The ruling United Russia dominates the national parliament and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time. Russian investigators said on Saturday they had opened a criminal investigation into the alleged laundering of 1 billion roubles ($15.3 million) by an anti-corruption foundation which Navalny set up. Navalny and his allies say the foundation is transparently financed from public donations. President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff with the opposition, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that Saturday's demonstration had not been approved and its organisers could be brought to account. At well over 60 percent, Putin's approval rating is still high compared with many other world leaders, but is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian police detain nearly 700 in opposition crackdown in Moscow

Thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-was-putins-political-rival-poisoned-239314">Russian opposition protesters</a> were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,000 people, sometimes violently, in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought widespread international condemnation.

A Moscow court said on Friday that 88 people had been taken into custody for taking part in last weekend`s protest, another 332 fined, and that more than 1,000 charge sheets had been drawn up. Many of the anti-Kremlin opposition`s leading figures, including Alexei Navalny, are now behind bars.&nbsp;

Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches after the last protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail.

The focus of protesters` anger is a prohibition on a slew of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow`s city legislature.

That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021.

Authorities say the opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register.

The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win.

Government's rating down

The ruling United Russia party`s rating is at its lowest since 2011 and President Vladimir Putin`s own rating has fallen due to discontent over falling living standards.

Lyubov Sobol, one of the excluded candidates, told Reuters demonstrations would continue until the authorities backed down.

"It won`t be solved until they understand that people are demanding political representation that takes account of their own opinion and will, that these people are not going away," said Sobol, who is on a hunger strike.

At least of eight of Sobol`s allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. United Russia dominates the national parliament, and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time.&nbsp;

Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that the demonstration had not been approved and that its organisers could be brought to account.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, has told the opposition he will not allow their protest movement to plunge the Russian capital into anarchy.&nbsp;

The planned protest underlines the determination of Kremlin critics - especially younger people - to keep pressing to open Russia`s tightly-choreographed political system to competition.

At well over 60 per cent, Putin`s approval rating is still high compared to many other world leaders, but lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes.&nbsp;

Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.&nbsp;

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters were expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event. At a similar protest a week earlier, police detained more than 1,000 people, sometimes violently, in one of the biggest security operations of recent years that brought widespread international condemnation. A Moscow court said on Friday that 88 people had been taken into custody for taking part in last weekend`s protest, another 332 fined, and that more than 1,000 charge sheets had been drawn up. Many of the anti-Kremlin opposition`s leading figures, including Alexei Navalny, are now behind bars. Authorities carried out a new round of detentions and home searches after the last protest and opened criminal proceedings for what they term mass civil unrest, an offence which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail. The focus of protesters` anger is a prohibition on a slew of opposition-minded candidates, some of whom are allies of Navalny, from taking part in a September election for Moscow`s city legislature. That vote, though local, is seen as a dry run for a national parliamentary election in 2021. Authorities say the opposition candidates failed to collect enough genuine signatures to register. The excluded candidates say that is a lie and insist on taking part in a contest they believe they could win. Government's rating down The ruling United Russia party`s rating is at its lowest since 2011 and President Vladimir Putin`s own rating has fallen due to discontent over falling living standards. Lyubov Sobol, one of the excluded candidates, told Reuters demonstrations would continue until the authorities backed down. "It won`t be solved until they understand that people are demanding political representation that takes account of their own opinion and will, that these people are not going away," said Sobol, who is on a hunger strike. At least of eight of Sobol`s allies, including Navalny, are in jail for breaking tough protest laws. United Russia dominates the national parliament, and Navalny plus his allies are starved of media air-time. Putin and the Kremlin have not commented on the standoff, but Moscow prosecutors on Friday warned would-be protesters that the demonstration had not been approved and that its organisers could be brought to account. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, has told the opposition he will not allow their protest movement to plunge the Russian capital into anarchy. The planned protest underlines the determination of Kremlin critics - especially younger people - to keep pressing to open Russia`s tightly-choreographed political system to competition. At well over 60 per cent, Putin`s approval rating is still high compared to many other world leaders, but lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Russian opposition plans new election protest despite crackdown

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-plans-new-election-protest-despite-crackdown-240340">planned protest in Moscow</a> to demand free elections.

Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Sobol had called on people to attend the demonstration, which authorities in Moscow had refused to sanction.

Sobol, who is on hunger strike, was detained in a taxi as she tried to make her way to the protest and driven off in a police van.

The unauthorised march along Moscow's leafy boulevards will be the latest in a series of demonstrations after officials refused to let popular opposition candidates run in next month's city parliament elections.

The local issue has boiled over into one of the worst political conflicts of recent years, with rallies of up to 22,000 people and police violence against demonstrators.

More than 6,000 people said on Facebook they would take part in the march along Moscow's so-called Boulevard Ring on Saturday to "bring back the right to elections".

Authorities installed barriers along the route ahead of the protest.

Candidates needed to collect signatures from city residents to stand in the polls but officials said they were disqualified because some names were forged.

But candidates, including allies of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, insist their signatures were thrown out arbitrarily, and the whole vetting process was skewed against them.

Many Muscovites said their signatures in support of opposition candidates were declared invalid for no reason.

President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on the situation in Moscow.

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a planned protest in Moscow to demand free elections. Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event.

Russian police on Saturday detained prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol ahead of a planned protest in Moscow to demand free elections. Thousands of Russian opposition protesters are expected to try and rally again in Moscow on Saturday despite a sweeping police crackdown and ban on the event. Sobol had called on people to attend the demonstration, which authorities in Moscow had refused to sanction. Sobol, who is on hunger strike, was detained in a taxi as she tried to make her way to the protest and driven off in a police van. The unauthorised march along Moscow's leafy boulevards will be the latest in a series of demonstrations after officials refused to let popular opposition candidates run in next month's city parliament elections. The local issue has boiled over into one of the worst political conflicts of recent years, with rallies of up to 22,000 people and police violence against demonstrators. More than 6,000 people said on Facebook they would take part in the march along Moscow's so-called Boulevard Ring on Saturday to "bring back the right to elections". Authorities installed barriers along the route ahead of the protest. Candidates needed to collect signatures from city residents to stand in the polls but officials said they were disqualified because some names were forged. But candidates, including allies of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, insist their signatures were thrown out arbitrarily, and the whole vetting process was skewed against them. Many Muscovites said their signatures in support of opposition candidates were declared invalid for no reason. President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on the situation in Moscow.

Russian police detain prominent opposition activist before protest

Russian Opposition protests against Vladimir Putin's grip on power. Watch this video to know more.

Protest heats in Moscow against Putin's grip on power

US President Donald Trump has imposed another round of sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of a former spy in Britain, the White House said on Friday, a move Moscow said would hurt already strained US-Russia ties.

The move came hours before a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-formally-withdraws-from-1987-nuclear-pact-with-russia-mike-pompeo-240169">landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty expired</a>, after Washington withdrew, accusing Moscow of violating it, which Russia denies.

Washington imposed an initial batch of sanctions last year on Russia after determining that Moscow had used a nerve agent against a former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia, in Britain, which Moscow denies.

“After the first round of sanctions in response to Russia’s assassination attempt against a private citizen in the UK, Russia did not provide the assurances required under US&nbsp;law," said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley.

"So we are imposing a second round of sanctions. It’s another instance where we’re proving tougher on Russia than previous administrations.”

Skripal, a former colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in the southern English city of Salisbury in March last year after Novichok nerve agent was smeared on his front door.

A woman who lives nearby later died after her partner found the poison in a discarded perfume bottle and brought it home.

European countries and the United States expelled 100 Russian diplomats after the attack. London has charged two Russian men in absentia. The men appeared on Russian TV saying they had visited Salisbury as tourists.

The White House said on Friday that President Trump had signed an executive order, under which the US&nbsp;government would block international financial institutions such as the World Bank from lending to governments subject to US&nbsp;sanctions for using chemical or nuclear weapons.

The Russian rouble dipped to 65 versus the dollar on Friday for the first time in seven weeks, a fall analysts said could partly be attributed to the reported sanctions move.

"I think that this is primarily connected to US&nbsp;domestic politics," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RT TV channel.

Ryabkov said he regretted that US-Russia ties, already strained by differences over everything from Syria to Ukraine, had become a political football in the United States.

Russian officials have repeatedly complained about what they say is Trump's lack of room for manoeuvre, due to pressure on him from Congress and political rivals to look tough in the wake of accusations Moscow helped him win election in 2016.

Former US&nbsp;special prosecutor Robert Mueller indicted dozens of Russians for what his office called a state-run plot to influence the election to help Trump win. Moscow has denied the accusations. Trump calls the investigation a witch hunt.

Ryabkov said Moscow linked the sanctions to upcoming presidential elections in the United States and said Moscow was ready to defend itself from any negative consequences caused by the new restrictions.

US President Donald Trump has imposed another round of sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of a former spy in Britain, the White House said on Friday, a move Moscow said would hurt already strained US-Russia ties.

US President Donald Trump has imposed another round of sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of a former spy in Britain, the White House said on Friday, a move Moscow said would hurt already strained US-Russia ties. The move came hours before a landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty expired, after Washington withdrew, accusing Moscow of violating it, which Russia denies. Washington imposed an initial batch of sanctions last year on Russia after determining that Moscow had used a nerve agent against a former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia, in Britain, which Moscow denies. “After the first round of sanctions in response to Russia’s assassination attempt against a private citizen in the UK, Russia did not provide the assurances required under US law," said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley. "So we are imposing a second round of sanctions. It’s another instance where we’re proving tougher on Russia than previous administrations.” Skripal, a former colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in the southern English city of Salisbury in March last year after Novichok nerve agent was smeared on his front door. A woman who lives nearby later died after her partner found the poison in a discarded perfume bottle and brought it home. European countries and the United States expelled 100 Russian diplomats after the attack. London has charged two Russian men in absentia. The men appeared on Russian TV saying they had visited Salisbury as tourists. The White House said on Friday that President Trump had signed an executive order, under which the US government would block international financial institutions such as the World Bank from lending to governments subject to US sanctions for using chemical or nuclear weapons. The Russian rouble dipped to 65 versus the dollar on Friday for the first time in seven weeks, a fall analysts said could partly be attributed to the reported sanctions move. "I think that this is primarily connected to US domestic politics," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RT TV channel. Ryabkov said he regretted that US-Russia ties, already strained by differences over everything from Syria to Ukraine, had become a political football in the United States. Russian officials have repeatedly complained about what they say is Trump's lack of room for manoeuvre, due to pressure on him from Congress and political rivals to look tough in the wake of accusations Moscow helped him win election in 2016. Former US special prosecutor Robert Mueller indicted dozens of Russians for what his office called a state-run plot to influence the election to help Trump win. Moscow has denied the accusations. Trump calls the investigation a witch hunt. Ryabkov said Moscow linked the sanctions to upcoming presidential elections in the United States and said Moscow was ready to defend itself from any negative consequences caused by the new restrictions.

US imposes new sanctions on Russia over Skripal poisoning

Russian economic growth will hover around 1.8 per cent for the next several years unless Moscow enacts structural reforms, the International Monetary Fund said Friday.

While spending on public infrastructure and a deeply unpopular pension reform could boost business activity, "absent deeper structural reforms, long-run growth is projected to settle around 1.8 per cent," an IMF statement said.

President Vladimir Putin last year launched 12 "national projects" to modernise the economy and improve Russians' quality of life.

But economic activity has nonetheless stalled this year.

The IMF predicts the growth of 1.2 per cent in 2019.

The World Bank last month gave the same figure, revised lower from a previous 1.8 per cent.

The national projects include programmes in healthcare, housing, the digital economy, environment, and others that should be carried out over five years starting from 2019, to the cost of $400 billion.

More than a quarter of that is to be funded by investors.

The IMF said these projects "have the potential to stimulate activity" but only if implemented effectively and combined with other reforms.

"Ambitious structural reforms will be important to raise growth," the IMF said, stressing the need for Moscow to create a "vibrant private sector."

Russian economic growth will hover around 1.8 per cent for the next several years unless Moscow enacts structural reforms, the International Monetary Fund said Friday.

Russian economic growth will hover around 1.8 per cent for the next several years unless Moscow enacts structural reforms, the International Monetary Fund said Friday. While spending on public infrastructure and a deeply unpopular pension reform could boost business activity, "absent deeper structural reforms, long-run growth is projected to settle around 1.8 per cent," an IMF statement said. President Vladimir Putin last year launched 12 "national projects" to modernise the economy and improve Russians' quality of life. But economic activity has nonetheless stalled this year. The IMF predicts the growth of 1.2 per cent in 2019. The World Bank last month gave the same figure, revised lower from a previous 1.8 per cent. The national projects include programmes in healthcare, housing, the digital economy, environment, and others that should be carried out over five years starting from 2019, to the cost of $400 billion. More than a quarter of that is to be funded by investors. The IMF said these projects "have the potential to stimulate activity" but only if implemented effectively and combined with other reforms. "Ambitious structural reforms will be important to raise growth," the IMF said, stressing the need for Moscow to create a "vibrant private sector."

Absent reforms, Russian growth eyed at 1.8%: International Monetary Fund

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday visited one of a chain of far-eastern islands claimed by Japan, sparking a protest from Tokyo.

Paying a visit to Russia's Sakhalin Island, Medvedev also went to Iturup, one of the four islands contested by Japan, where it is known as Etorofu.

"This is our land," Medvedev told reporters during the trip which included visits to a fish-processing plant and hot springs.

"These islands are part of the Sakhalin region," he said in televised remarks, reiterating Russia's traditional stance.

"What grounds can there be for our concern?" he said, referring to Japan's protests.

The Japanese foreign ministry said Medvedev's decision to visit the island was "extremely regrettable."

"Even now, more than 70 years after the war, territorial issues have not been solved with the Soviet Union/Russia and intensive peace treaty negotiations have been underway," the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

"We will strongly urge Russia to constructively deal with issues such as the signing of a peace treaty to move forward the future Japan-Russia relationship."

Medvedev said that the more Japan protested the more reasons Russian officials had to visit the islands known in Russia as the Kurils and the Northern Territories in Japan.

The Kurils, which lie north of Japan's Hokkaido island, have been controlled by Moscow since they were seized by Soviet troops in the dying days of World War II.

Last year, President Vladimir Putin suggested that Russia and Japan sign a peace treaty, ending World War II hostilities "without any preconditions".

Both countries have made little progress on the issue in recent months, however.

Medvedev travelled to the Kuril island of Kunashir as president in 2010, becoming the first Russian leader to visit the disputed islands and provoking fury in Tokyo.&nbsp;

He has also visited the islands several times as prime minister.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday visited one of a chain of far-eastern islands claimed by Japan, sparking a protest from Tokyo. Paying a visit to Russia's Sakhalin Island, Medvedev also went to Iturup, one of the four islands contested by Japan, where it is known as Etorofu.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday visited one of a chain of far-eastern islands claimed by Japan, sparking a protest from Tokyo. Paying a visit to Russia's Sakhalin Island, Medvedev also went to Iturup, one of the four islands contested by Japan, where it is known as Etorofu. "This is our land," Medvedev told reporters during the trip which included visits to a fish-processing plant and hot springs. "These islands are part of the Sakhalin region," he said in televised remarks, reiterating Russia's traditional stance. "What grounds can there be for our concern?" he said, referring to Japan's protests. The Japanese foreign ministry said Medvedev's decision to visit the island was "extremely regrettable." "Even now, more than 70 years after the war, territorial issues have not been solved with the Soviet Union/Russia and intensive peace treaty negotiations have been underway," the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement. "We will strongly urge Russia to constructively deal with issues such as the signing of a peace treaty to move forward the future Japan-Russia relationship." Medvedev said that the more Japan protested the more reasons Russian officials had to visit the islands known in Russia as the Kurils and the Northern Territories in Japan. The Kurils, which lie north of Japan's Hokkaido island, have been controlled by Moscow since they were seized by Soviet troops in the dying days of World War II. Last year, President Vladimir Putin suggested that Russia and Japan sign a peace treaty, ending World War II hostilities "without any preconditions". Both countries have made little progress on the issue in recent months, however. Medvedev travelled to the Kuril island of Kunashir as president in 2010, becoming the first Russian leader to visit the disputed islands and provoking fury in Tokyo. He has also visited the islands several times as prime minister.

Russia PM Dmitry Medvedev visits disputed island; sparks protest from Japan

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections.

Nearly 1,400 people were arrested on Saturday at an unauthorised protest in central Moscow that was broken up by baton-wielding riot police, as anger grows against authorities' refusal to allow prominent opposition candidates to stand for the city parliament.

The crackdown was the largest of its kind since 2012 when tens of thousands of people came out to protest Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency after four years as prime minister.

Federal investigators said their probe would target not just the organisers of the weekend rally but also participants. The investigation will also look into violence against police and other officials, they said in a statement.

The probe is part of a wider move by authorities to quell the protest movement, which comes amid growing public frustration over declining living standards and a fall in Putin's approval ratings.

Opposition leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alexei-navalny-the-lawyer-standing-up-to-vladimir-putin-239518">Alexei Navalny</a> is serving a 30-day jail term for calling on people to attend the weekend demonstration.&nbsp;

On Sunday, the 43-year-old was taken from his prison cell to hospital after what was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction but his lawyer Olga Mikhailova said was a poisoning by an unknown chemical substance.

Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva criticised authorities' decision to return him to prison following treatment, and complained on Tuesday she was not allowed to visit him in jail.

A number of other opposition figures, who applied to stand in the September elections but were rejected, have been jailed since the rally.&nbsp;

Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov was on Tuesday sentenced to a month over an earlier unauthorised protest, while would-be candidate Ilya Yashin was jailed for 20 days in two separate sentencings.

The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov, was on Monday jailed for 15 days, and independent politician Yulia Galyamina sentenced to 10 days on Tuesday.

'Obliged to use force'

Earlier Tuesday, a senior representative of the Russian prosecutor general's office called for a "severe" response to any further unauthorised rallies.

The opposition has however already called for a new unsanctioned protest on Saturday, and more than 13,000 people have indicated an interest on Facebook.&nbsp;

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a top Putin ally, accused organisers of preparing a "fresh provocation".&nbsp;

In a TV interview, he defended the response of police, who he said were "obliged to use force" during the weekend demonstration.

The West has condemned the actions of the Russian police, who used batons on demonstrators on Saturday. AFP journalists at the scene saw protesters with injuries.

Elections to Moscow's 45-seat legislative body, currently controlled by the ruling party United Russia, are to be held on September 8.

Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power.

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections.

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a probe into "mass unrest", a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison after thousands took to the streets at the weekend to demand fair elections. Nearly 1,400 people were arrested on Saturday at an unauthorised protest in central Moscow that was broken up by baton-wielding riot police, as anger grows against authorities' refusal to allow prominent opposition candidates to stand for the city parliament. The crackdown was the largest of its kind since 2012 when tens of thousands of people came out to protest Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency after four years as prime minister. Federal investigators said their probe would target not just the organisers of the weekend rally but also participants. The investigation will also look into violence against police and other officials, they said in a statement. The probe is part of a wider move by authorities to quell the protest movement, which comes amid growing public frustration over declining living standards and a fall in Putin's approval ratings. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny is serving a 30-day jail term for calling on people to attend the weekend demonstration. On Sunday, the 43-year-old was taken from his prison cell to hospital after what was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction but his lawyer Olga Mikhailova said was a poisoning by an unknown chemical substance. Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva criticised authorities' decision to return him to prison following treatment, and complained on Tuesday she was not allowed to visit him in jail. A number of other opposition figures, who applied to stand in the September elections but were rejected, have been jailed since the rally. Opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov was on Tuesday sentenced to a month over an earlier unauthorised protest, while would-be candidate Ilya Yashin was jailed for 20 days in two separate sentencings. The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov, was on Monday jailed for 15 days, and independent politician Yulia Galyamina sentenced to 10 days on Tuesday. 'Obliged to use force' Earlier Tuesday, a senior representative of the Russian prosecutor general's office called for a "severe" response to any further unauthorised rallies. The opposition has however already called for a new unsanctioned protest on Saturday, and more than 13,000 people have indicated an interest on Facebook. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a top Putin ally, accused organisers of preparing a "fresh provocation". In a TV interview, he defended the response of police, who he said were "obliged to use force" during the weekend demonstration. The West has condemned the actions of the Russian police, who used batons on demonstrators on Saturday. AFP journalists at the scene saw protesters with injuries. Elections to Moscow's 45-seat legislative body, currently controlled by the ruling party United Russia, are to be held on September 8. Local polls are a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power.

Russia launches criminal probe after mass protest for fair elections

Russia's jailed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-leader-navalny-in-satisfactory-condition-hospital-239204">opposition leader Alexei Navalny</a> said Monday he might have been "poisoned" in his prison cell amid a crackdown on anti-Kremlin protesters.

Navalny, who has been in jail since last week for calling an unauthorised rally, released a picture of himself in hospital with his face puffy, especially around the eyes.

His lawyer and personal physician earlier said that Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's top opponent, was exposed to an unidentified toxic substance and that doctors had sent him back to jail despite his condition.

The 43-year-old lawyer was rushed to hospital from jail on Sunday, a day after nearly 1,400 people were arrested at an unauthorised protest -- the largest police crackdown on dissent in recent years.

Writing on his blog, Navalny, who has never suffered from allergies, said he woke up at night because his face, ears and neck burnt.

"I might have been poisoned," he said he thought at the time.&nbsp;

When he woke up Sunday morning his face was swollen and his eyelids "the size of ping pong balls", he said.

The swelling subsided after he was treated with steroids in hospital and he now looks like someone "who has been drinking for a week," he said.

He ruled out any foul play by local police, saying they themselves have been "shocked" by his appearance, but suggested that someone might have entered his cell when he was not there.

Earlier on Monday his lawyer Olga Mikhailova told reporters: "It is indeed poisoning by some unknown chemical substance."

The opposition politician's physician Anastasia Vasilyeva slammed doctors for sending him back to the jail despite needing to continue treatment.

"Alexei has been clearly sent back to the detention centre on orders from above," she said.

Vasilyeva accused the hospital doctors of not wanting to find out what caused Navalny's condition.&nbsp;

She said his health was in danger in prison and warned that his cell could be contaminated.

Vasilyeva, an ophthalmologist, previously treated Navalny after he nearly lost the sight in one eye following an attack in 2017.

- 'Rotten system' -

The Russian opposition leader is serving a 30-day jail sentence for calling a rally after authorities blocked prominent independent candidates from taking part in upcoming Moscow parliament elections in September.

Ahead of the rally, police detained a number of popular opposition politicians who have fought to get on the ballot.

They included the director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov -- who was sentenced to 15 days in jail on Monday -- and prominent opposition politician and another would-be candidate Ilya Yashin who was jailed for 10 days, also Monday.

"I am not afraid of your rotten system, your arrests or your detention centres," Yashin said in court, according to an account that he published on social media.

Despite the crackdown, thousands of protesters -- many in their 20s and early 30s -- turned up on Saturday in central Moscow to demonstrate over the blocking of opposition candidates and to urge the authorities to open up the tightly-controlled system.

Police beat up protesters with batons and indiscriminately arrested people including the elderly and passers-by.&nbsp;

As riot police assaulted the peaceful protesters, Putin dived to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland aboard a submersible.

On social media, Russians seethed with anger over the brutality of police tactics, sharing stories of injuries and detentions.

Liberal Russian media estimated the rally turnout was up to 15,000 people.&nbsp;

While the Kremlin scrambled to contain the fallout, Germany slammed "the disproportionately tough police action" and urged the detained protesters' release.

France expressed concern over the recent developments in Russia, noting the "sudden deterioration" of Navalny's health.

The opposition has called for a new protest on Saturday.

- Activists 'banged up' -&nbsp;

The Bell, a respected Russian-language online publication, said the Kremlin had underestimated Muscovites' anger and readiness to protest.

"Now we'll have to think what to do with all of this," it quoted a Kremlin source as saying.

A person familiar with the Kremlin thinking told the Bell that the most prominent activists would be "banged up", while the rest would be intimidated into no longer protesting.

More than 21,000 people signed a petition calling on Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to resign. 
&nbsp;

Russia's jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday he might have been "poisoned" in his prison cell amid a crackdown on anti-Kremlin protesters. Navalny, who has been in jail since last week for calling an unauthorised rally, released a picture of himself in hospital with his face puffy, especially around the eyes.

Russia's jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday he might have been "poisoned" in his prison cell amid a crackdown on anti-Kremlin protesters. Navalny, who has been in jail since last week for calling an unauthorised rally, released a picture of himself in hospital with his face puffy, especially around the eyes. His lawyer and personal physician earlier said that Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's top opponent, was exposed to an unidentified toxic substance and that doctors had sent him back to jail despite his condition. The 43-year-old lawyer was rushed to hospital from jail on Sunday, a day after nearly 1,400 people were arrested at an unauthorised protest -- the largest police crackdown on dissent in recent years. Writing on his blog, Navalny, who has never suffered from allergies, said he woke up at night because his face, ears and neck burnt. "I might have been poisoned," he said he thought at the time. When he woke up Sunday morning his face was swollen and his eyelids "the size of ping pong balls", he said. The swelling subsided after he was treated with steroids in hospital and he now looks like someone "who has been drinking for a week," he said. He ruled out any foul play by local police, saying they themselves have been "shocked" by his appearance, but suggested that someone might have entered his cell when he was not there. Earlier on Monday his lawyer Olga Mikhailova told reporters: "It is indeed poisoning by some unknown chemical substance." The opposition politician's physician Anastasia Vasilyeva slammed doctors for sending him back to the jail despite needing to continue treatment. "Alexei has been clearly sent back to the detention centre on orders from above," she said. Vasilyeva accused the hospital doctors of not wanting to find out what caused Navalny's condition. She said his health was in danger in prison and warned that his cell could be contaminated. Vasilyeva, an ophthalmologist, previously treated Navalny after he nearly lost the sight in one eye following an attack in 2017. - 'Rotten system' - The Russian opposition leader is serving a 30-day jail sentence for calling a rally after authorities blocked prominent independent candidates from taking part in upcoming Moscow parliament elections in September. Ahead of the rally, police detained a number of popular opposition politicians who have fought to get on the ballot. They included the director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, Ivan Zhdanov -- who was sentenced to 15 days in jail on Monday -- and prominent opposition politician and another would-be candidate Ilya Yashin who was jailed for 10 days, also Monday. "I am not afraid of your rotten system, your arrests or your detention centres," Yashin said in court, according to an account that he published on social media. Despite the crackdown, thousands of protesters -- many in their 20s and early 30s -- turned up on Saturday in central Moscow to demonstrate over the blocking of opposition candidates and to urge the authorities to open up the tightly-controlled system. Police beat up protesters with batons and indiscriminately arrested people including the elderly and passers-by. As riot police assaulted the peaceful protesters, Putin dived to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland aboard a submersible. On social media, Russians seethed with anger over the brutality of police tactics, sharing stories of injuries and detentions. Liberal Russian media estimated the rally turnout was up to 15,000 people. While the Kremlin scrambled to contain the fallout, Germany slammed "the disproportionately tough police action" and urged the detained protesters' release. France expressed concern over the recent developments in Russia, noting the "sudden deterioration" of Navalny's health. The opposition has called for a new protest on Saturday. - Activists 'banged up' - The Bell, a respected Russian-language online publication, said the Kremlin had underestimated Muscovites' anger and readiness to protest. "Now we'll have to think what to do with all of this," it quoted a Kremlin source as saying. A person familiar with the Kremlin thinking told the Bell that the most prominent activists would be "banged up", while the rest would be intimidated into no longer protesting. More than 21,000 people signed a petition calling on Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to resign.

I might have been poisoned: Vladimir Putin's opponent Alexei Navalny 

A charismatic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-hospitalised-for-allergic-reaction-239039">anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny</a> has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health.

The Yale-educated 43-year-old lawyer has been banned from state television and was barred from challenging Putin in a presidential election last year.

He has often been jailed and physically attacked, but has vowed to press ahead with his campaign to change Russia for the better.

Navalny has won a young fan base through viral videos exposing corruption among the elites and has more than two million followers on Twitter.

He has grabbed attention with his uncompromising rhetoric and coined phrases such as the "party of crooks and thieves" to slam the ruling party United Russia.

In 2011, the anti-corruption blogger led mass protests when tens of thousands took to the streets of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-arrested-at-moscow-protest-after-opposition-crackdown-238830">Moscow</a> to protest against vote-rigging in parliamentary elections.

Two years later the father of two stood for Moscow mayor, coming second against Putin ally Sergei Sobyanin.

In 2017, he accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of massive corruption in a YouTube documentary. That kick-started a fresh wave of protests across the country that was met with police violence and mass arrests.&nbsp;

The same year he had to travel to Spain for surgery after one of several street attacks left him nearly blind in one eye.

Brother jailed

Navalny has faced a series of legal cases, which supporters see as punishment for his activism.

In 2013, he was found guilty in an embezzlement case involving a timber deal and given a five-year suspended sentence that disqualified him from standing for public office.

The European Court of Human Rights threw out the verdict but a retrial issued Navalny the same sentence.

He then had to spend months under house arrest and was often kept incommunicado over another graft case linked to French cosmetics company Yves Rocher.

In 2014, he was given another suspended sentence, and his brother Oleg, a co-defendant, was jailed for three and a half years in a decision activist have compared to "hostage-taking".

Navalny has said he learned about political campaigning from watching the US television series "House of Cards" and once listed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/tom-cruise-arnold-schwarzenegger-revive-80s-hollywood-classics-at-comic-con-237124">Hollywood actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger</a> among his heroes.

Navalny toured Russia ahead of the 2018 presidential election in an American-style campaign to rally his supporters.

But with the Kremlin tightly controlling the media, he remains a fringe figure for many Russians, who are exposed to the official portrayal of him as a Western stooge and convicted criminal.&nbsp;

Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny's name in public, instead referring to him as "the person you mentioned", among other euphemisms, when asked directly about the opposition leader.

Eye-catching exposes 
&nbsp; 
While barred from mainstream politics, Navalny has kept trying to expose the lavish wealth of Russia's elites, broadcasting the findings of his investigations to millions of Russians on social media and YouTube.

Trawling through land registries and the filings of offshore companies, Navalny and his team have helped lay bare the mansions and hidden fortunes of high-ranking officials.&nbsp;

Among Navalny's most eye-catching exposes have been details on the palatial homes of Putin's allies in Russia and abroad including one kitted out with a vast climate-controlled storage room for fur coats in the residence of Vladimir Yakunin, former chief of Russia's national railways.

But despite tapping into discontent among a largely young urban middle class he is far from a unifying opposition figure and some have criticised his anti-immigrant nationalist stance.

Several members of Navalny's team have fought hard to get on the ballot for Moscow parliament elections in September, each managing to collect roughly 5,000 signatures from supporters. They have been barred from running, along with other pro-Kremlin politicians.

Last week Navalny was jailed for calling an unauthorised protest over the ban and on Sunday he was rushed to a hospital. His lawyer and doctor said he had been "poisoned." 
&nbsp;

A charismatic anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health.

A charismatic anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny has been Russia's leading opposition politician for around a decade, determined to challenge Vladimir Putin's grip on power despite frequent prison stays and even damage to his health. The Yale-educated 43-year-old lawyer has been banned from state television and was barred from challenging Putin in a presidential election last year. He has often been jailed and physically attacked, but has vowed to press ahead with his campaign to change Russia for the better. Navalny has won a young fan base through viral videos exposing corruption among the elites and has more than two million followers on Twitter. He has grabbed attention with his uncompromising rhetoric and coined phrases such as the "party of crooks and thieves" to slam the ruling party United Russia. In 2011, the anti-corruption blogger led mass protests when tens of thousands took to the streets of Moscow to protest against vote-rigging in parliamentary elections. Two years later the father of two stood for Moscow mayor, coming second against Putin ally Sergei Sobyanin. In 2017, he accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of massive corruption in a YouTube documentary. That kick-started a fresh wave of protests across the country that was met with police violence and mass arrests. The same year he had to travel to Spain for surgery after one of several street attacks left him nearly blind in one eye. Brother jailed Navalny has faced a series of legal cases, which supporters see as punishment for his activism. In 2013, he was found guilty in an embezzlement case involving a timber deal and given a five-year suspended sentence that disqualified him from standing for public office. The European Court of Human Rights threw out the verdict but a retrial issued Navalny the same sentence. He then had to spend months under house arrest and was often kept incommunicado over another graft case linked to French cosmetics company Yves Rocher. In 2014, he was given another suspended sentence, and his brother Oleg, a co-defendant, was jailed for three and a half years in a decision activist have compared to "hostage-taking". Navalny has said he learned about political campaigning from watching the US television series "House of Cards" and once listed Hollywood actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger among his heroes. Navalny toured Russia ahead of the 2018 presidential election in an American-style campaign to rally his supporters. But with the Kremlin tightly controlling the media, he remains a fringe figure for many Russians, who are exposed to the official portrayal of him as a Western stooge and convicted criminal. Putin has refused to pronounce Navalny's name in public, instead referring to him as "the person you mentioned", among other euphemisms, when asked directly about the opposition leader. Eye-catching exposes While barred from mainstream politics, Navalny has kept trying to expose the lavish wealth of Russia's elites, broadcasting the findings of his investigations to millions of Russians on social media and YouTube. Trawling through land registries and the filings of offshore companies, Navalny and his team have helped lay bare the mansions and hidden fortunes of high-ranking officials. Among Navalny's most eye-catching exposes have been details on the palatial homes of Putin's allies in Russia and abroad including one kitted out with a vast climate-controlled storage room for fur coats in the residence of Vladimir Yakunin, former chief of Russia's national railways. But despite tapping into discontent among a largely young urban middle class he is far from a unifying opposition figure and some have criticised his anti-immigrant nationalist stance. Several members of Navalny's team have fought hard to get on the ballot for Moscow parliament elections in September, each managing to collect roughly 5,000 signatures from supporters. They have been barred from running, along with other pro-Kremlin politicians. Last week Navalny was jailed for calling an unauthorised protest over the ban and on Sunday he was rushed to a hospital. His lawyer and doctor said he had been "poisoned."

Alexei Navalny: The lawyer standing up to Russia's President Vladimir Putin

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign.

The petition was created a few years ago but has only gathered steam over the past week after Russian female bloggers and women's rights activists threw their weight behind it with an online campaign.

The women have posted photos of themselves with make-up suggesting cuts and bruises, along with the slogan,&nbsp;"I did not want to die."

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Gj4m3isoR/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Совсем недавно погибла очередная жертва домашнего насилия. Оксану Садыкову начал бить муж. И когда чаша терпения переполнилась, она написала на него заявление о побоях и подала на развод. В полиции ничего не сделали, мужа отпустили, он подкараулил ее в подъезде и убил на глазах у 8-летнего сына. Трое несовершеннолетних детей остались без матери. ⠀ Оксана была бы сейчас жива, существуй у нас закон о домашнем насилии. После избиений и попытки удушения ее муж не должен был находиться на свободе, или же Оксану должен был защищать охранный ордер. Муж должен был носить датчик движения и проходить психологическую программу для агрессоров (они, кстати, работают великолепно. В других странах). Но наше государство не защитило Оксану, и она умерла при попытке уйти. ⠀ Таких Оксан у нас в стране много. ⠀ Ежегодно от домашнего насилия в России гибнут около 12.000-14 000 женщин (https://rg.ru/2012/10/23/nasilie.html) В Америке, где сильно развита система профилактики и борьбы с домашним насилием, в 3-4 раза меньше. Хотя население там в два раза больше, чем у нас. ⠀ России нужен федеральный закон о профилактике семейного насилия и помощи пострадавшим от него. Есть шанс, что его будут рассматривать этой осенью. Чтобы это точно произошло, нам нужна максимальная огласка. ⠀ Внезапно я поняла, что действовать надо прямо сейчас, и что только моего голоса мало. И обратилась за помощью к другим блогерам. А сейчас хочу обратиться к вам. ⠀ Мы запускаем #ЯНеХотелаУмирать — флешмоб в поддержку закона о домашнем насилии, который спасает жизни уже в 146 странах. Мы требуем принять его в России. ⠀ РОССИИ НУЖЕН ЭТОТ ЗАКОН. Пожалуйста, если вы понимаете это, помогите нам добиться его принятия — выскажитесь публично о его необходимости. ⠀ Чтобы поучаствовать, надо сделать фото с надписью #ЯНеХотелаУмирать на себе или с табличкой с хэштэгом #ЯНеХотелаУмирать (можно сделать грим, но это не обязательно) и в посте тоже указать хэштэг. Табличка или надпись необязательна, если у вас нет возможности их сделать. Важна любая поддержка. ⠀ Дальше в серии➡️</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexandramitroshina/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Обычный человек Саша Митрошина</a> (@alexandramitroshina) on <time datetime="2019-07-19T14:57:45+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 19, 2019 at 7:57am PDT</time>
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The aim is to help boost a petition first launched by leading women's rights figure Aliona Popova, urging Russia to adopt a law protecting victims of domestic violence, which mainly affects women.

Russia's legal system effectively leaves women without any state protection against abuse at home.

The issue is rarely discussed publicly and campaigners say police often ignore cases.&nbsp;

"In Russia, almost 16 million women are victims of domestic violence every year," Popova said at a news conference on Monday, hailing the online campaign for helping to garner more than 650,000 signatures.

There is no separate law covering domestic violence in cases where the victim is living with the attacker, but rather it is included under the offence of battery.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law watering down the punishment of abuse in families in 2017, making a first offence punishable by only a fine instead of a jail sentence.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights issued its first ruling on a domestic violence case in Russia.

The court noted Russian authorities' "reluctance to acknowledge the seriousness and extent of the problem."

"One out of three women in Russia is beaten by their husband or partner. Every 45 minutes, a woman is killed at home -- these numbers are terrifying," Olga Kravtsova, a blogger with a large following on social media, wrote on Instagram earlier this month.&nbsp;

Last month, a case against three teenage sisters who killed their father after years of alleged beatings and sexual abuse sparked protests and highlighted Russia's dire record on domestic violence.&nbsp;

In late 2017, the nation was shaken by the fate of Margarita Gracheva whose husband took her to a forest where he tortured her and chopped off her hands. The tragedy took place after the police had ignored her complaints.&nbsp;

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign.

More than 650,000 people have signed a petition calling on Russian authorities to toughen domestic violence legislation thanks to a hard-hitting social media campaign. The petition was created a few years ago but has only gathered steam over the past week after Russian female bloggers and women's rights activists threw their weight behind it with an online campaign. The women have posted photos of themselves with make-up suggesting cuts and bruises, along with the slogan, "I did not want to die." View this post on Instagram Совсем недавно погибла очередная жертва домашнего насилия. Оксану Садыкову начал бить муж. И когда чаша терпения переполнилась, она написала на него заявление о побоях и подала на развод. В полиции ничего не сделали, мужа отпустили, он подкараулил ее в подъезде и убил на глазах у 8-летнего сына. Трое несовершеннолетних детей остались без матери. ⠀ Оксана была бы сейчас жива, существуй у нас закон о домашнем насилии. После избиений и попытки удушения ее муж не должен был находиться на свободе, или же Оксану должен был защищать охранный ордер. Муж должен был носить датчик движения и проходить психологическую программу для агрессоров (они, кстати, работают великолепно. В других странах). Но наше государство не защитило Оксану, и она умерла при попытке уйти. ⠀ Таких Оксан у нас в стране много. ⠀ Ежегодно от домашнего насилия в России гибнут около 12.000-14 000 женщин (https://rg.ru/2012/10/23/nasilie.html) В Америке, где сильно развита система профилактики и борьбы с домашним насилием, в 3-4 раза меньше. Хотя население там в два раза больше, чем у нас. ⠀ России нужен федеральный закон о профилактике семейного насилия и помощи пострадавшим от него. Есть шанс, что его будут рассматривать этой осенью. Чтобы это точно произошло, нам нужна максимальная огласка. ⠀ Внезапно я поняла, что действовать надо прямо сейчас, и что только моего голоса мало. И обратилась за помощью к другим блогерам. А сейчас хочу обратиться к вам. ⠀ Мы запускаем #ЯНеХотелаУмирать — флешмоб в поддержку закона о домашнем насилии, который спасает жизни уже в 146 странах. Мы требуем принять его в России. ⠀ РОССИИ НУЖЕН ЭТОТ ЗАКОН. Пожалуйста, если вы понимаете это, помогите нам добиться его принятия — выскажитесь публично о его необходимости. ⠀ Чтобы поучаствовать, надо сделать фото с надписью #ЯНеХотелаУмирать на себе или с табличкой с хэштэгом #ЯНеХотелаУмирать (можно сделать грим, но это не обязательно) и в посте тоже указать хэштэг. Табличка или надпись необязательна, если у вас нет возможности их сделать. Важна любая поддержка. ⠀ Дальше в серии➡️ A post shared by Обычный человек Саша Митрошина (@alexandramitroshina) on Jul 19, 2019 at 7:57am PDT × The aim is to help boost a petition first launched by leading women's rights figure Aliona Popova, urging Russia to adopt a law protecting victims of domestic violence, which mainly affects women. Russia's legal system effectively leaves women without any state protection against abuse at home. The issue is rarely discussed publicly and campaigners say police often ignore cases. "In Russia, almost 16 million women are victims of domestic violence every year," Popova said at a news conference on Monday, hailing the online campaign for helping to garner more than 650,000 signatures. There is no separate law covering domestic violence in cases where the victim is living with the attacker, but rather it is included under the offence of battery. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law watering down the punishment of abuse in families in 2017, making a first offence punishable by only a fine instead of a jail sentence. Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights issued its first ruling on a domestic violence case in Russia. The court noted Russian authorities' "reluctance to acknowledge the seriousness and extent of the problem." "One out of three women in Russia is beaten by their husband or partner. Every 45 minutes, a woman is killed at home -- these numbers are terrifying," Olga Kravtsova, a blogger with a large following on social media, wrote on Instagram earlier this month. Last month, a case against three teenage sisters who killed their father after years of alleged beatings and sexual abuse sparked protests and highlighted Russia's dire record on domestic violence. In late 2017, the nation was shaken by the fate of Margarita Gracheva whose husband took her to a forest where he tortured her and chopped off her hands. The tragedy took place after the police had ignored her complaints.

Over 650,000 sign Russia petition to boost domestic violence law

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power.

The detentions came around a protest to demand that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-detains-more-than-500-people-over-election-protest-monitor-238890">opposition members</a> be allowed to run in a local election. Authorities had declared it illegal and sought to block participation, but several thousand people turned up anyway in one of the longest and most determined protests of recent years.

Chants of "Russia without Putin" and "Putin resign" echoed through central Moscow as guardsmen clad in riot gear beat back protesters with batons and roughly detained people.

At least one woman and a man appeared to have suffered serious head wounds.

Saturday's events showed how activists and especially younger people remain intent on pressing to open Russia's tightly-choreographed political system to competition.

Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny had called the protest to persuade officials to allow opposition-minded candidates to run in a September 8 vote.

Authorities say they were barred because they failed to collect sufficient genuine signatures in their support.

The opposition has no seats in parliament and is starved of air time on state TV where many Russians still get their news.

Opinion polls in the past have shown support for Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, only in the single digits. But backers note he won almost a third of the vote in a 2013 Moscow mayoral race and say his movement could build momentum in the Russian capital if allowed to compete fairly.

Though Putin's approval rating is still high at well over 60 per cent, it is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024.

Burnishing his man of action image, Putin spent Saturday diving to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in a mini-submarine to honour a Soviet submarine that sunk there in World War Two.

Arrested 'sitting on a bench'

OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police detained at least 1,067 people before or at Saturday's protest. As in past sweeps, many were only held for a matter of hours.

Police put participation at more than 3,500 people, of whom it said around 700 people were journalists and bloggers.

Some activists were arrested twice after being released and then returning to protest in a different place.&nbsp;

One of those detained, Alexander Latyshev, 45, said he had come from the nearby Vladimir region to discuss business with an associate and been randomly detained. "I was just sitting on a bench (when they took me)," he told.

Police also raided an office being used by Navalny's supporters to live-stream the protest.

TV Rain, an independent station covering the protests, said its editor-in-chief had been called in for questioning.

Under Russian law, the location and timing of such protests need to be agreed with authorities beforehand, something that was not done for Saturday's event.

Kremlin critic Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Wednesday and other members of the opposition have had their homes searched. Ilya Yashin, a Navalny ally, said police had searched his Moscow flat overnight before detaining him and driving him out of the capital. He called for another protest next Saturday.

Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, said on Twitter she had been detained on Saturday morning. Other prominent activists Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol were also held.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, had warned beforehand that authorities would act decisively against the risk of "serious provocations".

The police's investigative arm has already opened a criminal investigation into an opposition rally in June which it said may have obstructed the work of Moscow's electoral commission.

An authorised protest in Moscow last weekend, also calling for the disbarred candidates to be registered, was attended by more than 20,000 people, according to the White Counter monitoring group.

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power.

Russian police rounded up more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin's tight grip on power. The detentions came around a protest to demand that opposition members be allowed to run in a local election. Authorities had declared it illegal and sought to block participation, but several thousand people turned up anyway in one of the longest and most determined protests of recent years. Chants of "Russia without Putin" and "Putin resign" echoed through central Moscow as guardsmen clad in riot gear beat back protesters with batons and roughly detained people. At least one woman and a man appeared to have suffered serious head wounds. Saturday's events showed how activists and especially younger people remain intent on pressing to open Russia's tightly-choreographed political system to competition. Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny had called the protest to persuade officials to allow opposition-minded candidates to run in a September 8 vote. Authorities say they were barred because they failed to collect sufficient genuine signatures in their support. The opposition has no seats in parliament and is starved of air time on state TV where many Russians still get their news. Opinion polls in the past have shown support for Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, only in the single digits. But backers note he won almost a third of the vote in a 2013 Moscow mayoral race and say his movement could build momentum in the Russian capital if allowed to compete fairly. Though Putin's approval rating is still high at well over 60 per cent, it is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024. Burnishing his man of action image, Putin spent Saturday diving to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in a mini-submarine to honour a Soviet submarine that sunk there in World War Two. Arrested 'sitting on a bench' OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police detained at least 1,067 people before or at Saturday's protest. As in past sweeps, many were only held for a matter of hours. Police put participation at more than 3,500 people, of whom it said around 700 people were journalists and bloggers. Some activists were arrested twice after being released and then returning to protest in a different place. One of those detained, Alexander Latyshev, 45, said he had come from the nearby Vladimir region to discuss business with an associate and been randomly detained. "I was just sitting on a bench (when they took me)," he told. Police also raided an office being used by Navalny's supporters to live-stream the protest. TV Rain, an independent station covering the protests, said its editor-in-chief had been called in for questioning. Under Russian law, the location and timing of such protests need to be agreed with authorities beforehand, something that was not done for Saturday's event. Kremlin critic Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Wednesday and other members of the opposition have had their homes searched. Ilya Yashin, a Navalny ally, said police had searched his Moscow flat overnight before detaining him and driving him out of the capital. He called for another protest next Saturday. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, said on Twitter she had been detained on Saturday morning. Other prominent activists Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol were also held. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, had warned beforehand that authorities would act decisively against the risk of "serious provocations". The police's investigative arm has already opened a criminal investigation into an opposition rally in June which it said may have obstructed the work of Moscow's electoral commission. An authorised protest in Moscow last weekend, also calling for the disbarred candidates to be registered, was attended by more than 20,000 people, according to the White Counter monitoring group.

Russia detains more than 1,000 people in opposition crackdown

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