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Ammon News - Hundreds of people have been detained as police try to stop nationwide protests in Russia in support of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Officers have been breaking up groups of protesters in the capital Moscow, where a demonstration is under way.

Thousands of people have already taken part in rallies in Russia's Far East, where there were also arrests.

Mr Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most high-profile critic, called for protests after his arrest last weekend.

He was detained on 17 January after he flew back to Moscow from Berlin, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal nerve agent attack in Russia last August.

On his return, he was immediately taken into custody and found guilty of violating parole conditions. He says it is a trumped-up case designed to silence him, and called on his supporters to protest.

Several of Mr Navalny's close aides, including a spokeswoman, have also been detained in the run up to Saturday's protests.

Prior to the rallies, Russian authorities had promised a tough crackdown, with police saying any unauthorised demonstrations and provocations would be "immediately suppressed".

*BBC