Biggest Anti-Putin rally in Russia

World is rarely seen protests and demonstrations in Russia after splitting USSR.  These protests are common and regular since at least 2018 against Russian President Putin or in support of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Russians nationwide are taking to the streets of at least 85 cities in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was jailed this week upon his defiant return to Russia. 

The opposition leader recovering in Germany from what Western scientists determined to be poisoning by the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok, asked his supporters to protest against his jailing — and against Russia's ruling elite as a whole.

Tens of thousands turned out in dozens of cities across the world’s largest country, defying the authorities’ warnings that they may face charges of “mass disorder” for the unauthorized protests. Russian authorities’ say thousands have already been arrested including prominent anti-corruption lawyer was taken by police. These protests are erupted after Aleksei Navalny was arrested returning from Germany. Navalny blames Russian President Vladimar Putin for ordering to kill him with poison. Navalny faces a prison term of as long as 3 1/2 years at a Feb. 2 hearing for allegedly violating his probation under a suspended sentence during his treatment in Germany, while potential new charges also carry a maximum 10 years in jail.

Protesters have spread far beyond Pushkin Square in Moscow, despite mass arrests. They are clapping and shouting “Putin is a thief!”. Riot police charging the crowd at the Navalny rally at Pushkin square in Moscow Russia a big crowd not just on the square but in the adjacent streets as well. People have gathered outside the prison where Navalny is held. They were immediately detained by law enforcement. Journalists were beaten and detained, including my amazing friends and colleagues. From Vladivostok to Kaliningrad (10 000 km in between), from towns, Siberia like Irkuts to southern Sochi came to the streets. Russia has defended the arrest and said that it has information that CIA works with Navalny.