Navalny ally urges protest

AN ALLY of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny urged Russians yesterday to gather near their homes for a brief Valentine’s Day protest, shining their cellphone torches and lighting candles in heart shapes to flood social media.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against the jailing of Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, who says he is being persecuted for political reasons.

Police have detained more than 11 000 people who have taken part in what they said were unsanctioned protests which the Kremlin has condemned as illegal and dangerous.

Leonid Volkov, a Navalny ally based outside Russia, called on people to gather in the residential courtyards near their homes on Sunday and to stand for several minutes shining their cellphone torches.

He suggested people bring candles and make heart shapes with them to mark Valentine’s Day, and photograph them from above in an event he said would last just 15 minutes.

Supporters, he said, could then flood social media with images of the protest. The idea for the candles was inspired by the heart sign Navalny made to his wife in court, Volkov said.

Volkov’s announcement prompted the Russian foreign ministry to accuse Navalny’s allies of acting as Nato agents and of receiving instructions from the military alliance to disrupt Russian politics.

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Volkov had planned to halt the protests, but had changed his mind after holding a virtual meeting with representatives of the EU Britain and the US.