Thousands detained in Russia over anti-war protests
Protests erupted in dozens of cities across Russia against Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine without provocation. Russia's Interior Ministry and an independent protest observer said on Sunday that thousands of people had been detained since the protests began.
According to Monitor OVD-Info, about 3,895 people were detained during the protests in about 53 cities. They added that the number of people detained could be higher than the list published by the Russian police.
Russian news agency Tass quoted Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk as saying that about 1,600 people had been detained in Moscow, as well as 650 in St. Petersburg. The detainees in Moscow took part in an "unauthorized gathering" of about 2,500 people.
In St. Petersburg, on the other hand, 750 arrested people took part in a rally of 1,500 people.
In other parts of the country, 1,200 people attended rallies and about 1,081 were detained, Irina said.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to a video posted on social media by opposition activists, thousands of protesters gathered, shouting "No to war!" And "You should be ashamed!" Etc. gives slogans.
Protests have erupted outside Russia, including in India and Kazakhstan, after Kremlin prisoner Alexei Navalny called for worldwide protests against the war.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, some protesters warned, "If the war does not end now, Russia's next target will be Kazakhstan."
[Some information in this report is taken from Reuters].
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