MOSCOW (AP) – The Latest on Russian protests Sunday (all times local):
2:15 p.m.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been arrested in Moscow as protest demonstrations called by him took place across the country.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, centre, is detained by police officers in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman)
He has called on supporters to continue the demonstrations despite his arrest Sunday.
He says on Twitter “they have detained me. This doesn’t mean anything … you didn’t come out for me, but for your future.”
Protests ranging from a few dozen to several hundred people were reported throughout the country.
Navalny is calling for a boycott of the March 18 presidential election in which President Vladimir Putin is seeking a fourth term.
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12:30 p.m.
Russia police have raided the Moscow office of opposition leader Alexei Navalny as demonstrations calling for a boycott of Russia’s presidential election take place across the country.
A video stream Sunday morning from Navalny’s headquarters showed police entering the office. One broadcaster on the stream said police apparently were using a grinder to try to get access to the broadcast studio.
The anchors said police said they had come because of a bomb threat.
One anchor, Dmitri Nizovtsev, was detained by police during the raid, according to video broadcast by the headquarters. Navalny’s Moscow coordinator, Nikolai Lyaskin, also was detained on Sunday, the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.
Navalny, who has been blocked from running in Russia’s March 18 presidential election, called for nationwide protests on Sunday.
Sizeable gatherings have been reported Sunday in the Far East and Siberia, including one in remote Yakutsk where the temperature reportedly was minus-45 C (minus-49 F). More are set for Moscow and St. Petersburg in the afternoon..
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, centre, attends a rally in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been arrested in Moscow as protests take place across the country. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman)
A demonstrator with a Russian national flag wrapped in his shoulders shouts slogans during a rally in Vladivostok, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Aleksander Khitrov)
Demonstrators shout slogans holding a poster which reads “Elections without me! Strike.” during a rally in Vladivostok, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Aleksander Khitrov)
A demonstrator holds a poster which reads “I have no one to choose!! Strike.” during a rally in Vladivostok, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Aleksander Khitrov)
Demonstrators shout slogans with posters which read “I do not recognize Putin’s election” and “Putin devours the future of Russia” during a rally in Vladivostok, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Aleksander Khitrov)
Police guard outside the office of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Police guard outside the office of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in the background, is detained by police officers in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman)
People gather as police stand next to the protesters during a rally in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Young protesters gather during a rally at Pushkin square in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
A protester waves a Russian flag during a rally in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
People hold placards as police stand next to the protesters during a rally in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Protesters gather during a rally at Pushkin square in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Policemen guard outside a metro station before a rally in Moscow, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Opposition politician Alexey Navalny calls for nationwide protests following Russia’s Central Election Commission’s decision to ban his presidential candidacy. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
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