RUSSIA: Presidential vote: Navalny detained on day of protests

 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained by police in Moscow after joining a rally in support of a presidential election boycott. “I have been detained,” Mr Navalny, 41, tweeted (in Russian).  “This means nothing,” he added, urging his backers to join protests across Russia. Earlier, police raided his offices in Moscow, reportedly seizing […]

 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained by police in Moscow after joining a rally in support of a presidential election boycott.

“I have been detained,” Mr Navalny, 41, tweeted (in Russian). 

“This means nothing,” he added, urging his backers to join protests across Russia.

Earlier, police raided his offices in Moscow, reportedly seizing equipment.

Mr Navalny – President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic – is barred from standing in the 18 March election.

Footage posted on Mr Navalny’s Twitter page showed him being wrestled to the ground by policemen during the arrest.

The opposition leader later tweeted: “The detention of one person is meaningless if there are many of us. Someone, come and replace me.”