Kremlin critic detained in tense anti-corruption protests

RUSSIA - Prominent Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been detained amid a tense anti-corruption protest in the heart of Moscow, according to tweets by Navalny and his press secretary. Navalny downplayed his detention in a series of tweets and encouraged protesters to keep marching.”Today we are discussing (and condemning) corruption, not the detentions. Well, I was detained. So what. It ok. There are things in life that are worth being detained for,” Navalny tweeted yesterday. The protest in Moscow grew increasingly tense as the day progressed. More than 100 people had been arrested by late Sunday afternoon, Russian state-run news agency Tass reported. The protest drew a massive police presence, with riot officers flanking crowds while plainclothes officers moved among the demonstrators. Police asked those on the streets to move on, and told them the protest was unsanctioned. Similar demonstrations were planned in 100 cities across Russia yesterday, according to organizers. Navalny praised turnouts for the protests in early-morning tweets. “Far East started fine,” he tweeted, referring to a photo of protesters gathering in the city of Vladivostok, located on Russia’s far eastern coast. Navalny also shared photos and tweets from various parts of the country. The protests are part of a campaign called “He is not your Dimon,” which uses the diminutive form of the Russian name Dmitry to refer to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Navalny has accused Medvedev of amassing a global property empire through various forms of corruption. In a report published on March 2, Navalny said Medvedev has a portfolio of assets including huge pieces of land in the most sought-after regions, yachts, apartments in old mansions, agricultural complexes and wineries in Russia and abroad. Navalny’s report claims this was all purchased through bribes from oligarchs, and state bank loans. (CNN)