Putin rejects Black Sea property belongs to him after Navalny's accusation
Protests against Putin
The Kremlin today accused US tech giants of interference in Navalny protests which broke out throughout Russia over the weekend even as Navalny's aides called for new anti-government rallies.
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Kremlin had earlier accused the United States of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs after large scale protests erupted over the weekend even as 3,500 demonstrators were detained across the country on Saturday. The US embassy in Moscow had issued a "Demonstration Alert" warning US citizens to avoid the protests and naming the venues in Russian cities where protesters planned to gather.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video call to students said luxury Black Sea property does not belong to him after Navalny accused the Russian leader of possessing the property.
"Nothing that is listed there as my property belongs to me or my close relatives, and never did," Putin said during a video call with students.
After the weekend protests, the United States urged Russian authorities to release protesters detained at the demonstration.
Navalny had asked Russians to come out on the streets after he was arrested by authorities last week soon after he landed in Moscow.
The Russian foreign ministry had said that US embassy representatives will be summoned and would have to "explain themselves".
The US embassy spokesman Rebecca Ross had said: "We're watching reports of protests in 38 Russian cities, arrests of 350+ peaceful protesters and journalists. The USsupports the right of all people to peaceful protest, freedom of expression. Steps being taken by Russian authorities are suppressing those rights."
The United States government in a statement said: "Continued efforts to suppress Russians’ rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, and the crackdown on protests that followed are troubling indications of further restrictions on civil society and fundamental freedoms."
The US government urged Russian authorities to release "all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexei Navalny."