Navalny supporters said they were planning nationwide protests in at least 120 cities, each of which would start at noon local time in that city. The country covers 11 time zones.
Live video feeds and social media videos show crowds gathering in a number of cities, chanting “Putin is a thief”, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Navalny was detained on January 17, shortly after arriving in Moscow, after months of treatment in Germany after being poisoned with Novichok nerve agent in August 2020. He blamed the Russian government for the poisoning, an allegation that the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.
The politician is currently in custody ahead of a court hearing on Feb. 2, where a court will decide whether his suspended sentence for fraud in a 2014 embezzlement case should be commuted to imprisonment for what Russian authorities say is the violation of the terms. of his suspended sentence.
During that hearing, Navalny urged the protesters to keep coming out.
“They are the last barrier that prevents those in power from stealing everything. They are the real patriots,” he said. “You won’t be able to intimidate us – we are the majority.”
The Russian Interior Ministry warned Russian citizens not to participate in the “unauthorized” protests. “Russia’s Interior Ministry is calling on citizens not to participate in unauthorized protests,” the ministry said in an Instagram post.
Russian federal law requires organizers to appeal to local authorities at least 10 days in advance to get permission to hold a protest.
Navalny’s team announced new gathering points for protesters in the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg through their social media accounts after Russian authorities blocked certain streets and metro stations ahead of the rallies.
Security forces could be spotted on the streets of central Moscow early Sunday, including in Lubyanka Square, home to the headquarters of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
According to OVD-Info, an independent site that monitors arrests, 519 people have been detained across Russia so far for unsanctioned protests. This number is expected to increase.
Live video of protests in the Russian city of Novosibirsk, Siberia, showed that police detained drivers honking in support of the protesters. In response, protesters were heard singing, “Let them go!”
People could be seen with their elbows bound, forming chains, saying “Freedom!” and “Give us money back!” as they stood in front of the town hall in the center of Novosibirsk. Riot police lined up before them.
Protesters marching through the snowy streets could be heard chanting, “Russia without Putin!” and “one for all, and all for one.”
Authorities announced ahead of Sunday’s protests that certain streets in central Moscow would be closed, seven metro stations would be closed and that no alcohol should be sold in glass containers throughout the day.
In addition, the Moscow mayor’s office said cafes, restaurants and other catering facilities would be closed in the city center on Sunday, according to Russian state media agency TASS.