Russian: Clashes And Dozens Of Arrests In St Petersburg.
Clashes and dozens of arrests have been reported in St Petersburg, where the main protest is taking place.
At least 250 people have been arrested as supporters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny hold protests in some 80 cities across Russia.
According to the human rights website OVD-Info, 66 people were detained.
The protesters are demanding Alexei Navalny, be allowed to stand in 2018 presidential elections.
The rallies coincide with President Vladimir Putin's 65th birthday.
Most are unauthorised, including those in Moscow and St Petersburg.
The third time this year that Mr Navalny has been jailed.
He is currently serving 20 days in jail for repeatedly violating a law on organising public meetings.
Russia's electoral authorities say he cannot stand in the March vote because of a separate suspended sentence.
In recent months he has travelled across Russia in a bid to bolster his makeshift election campaign.
Mr Navalny had been due to attend the main rally taking place on Saturday evening in St Petersburg, Mr Putin's home city.
More than 3,500 people were at the demonstration in Russia's second city, many of them carrying "Navalny 2018" banners.
Media reports say there were a large number of arrests after a group of demonstrators tried to break through a police line.
Several other organisers of the rally and leaders of the pro-democracy group Open Russia - sponsored by exiled former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky - were arrested in the city earlier on Saturday, the website said.
Earlier several people were arrested as hundreds rallied in Moscow's Pushkin Square, though all were reportedly later released.
Police urged people to disperse but did not move to break up the rally. Some protesters marched towards the Kremlin, but were blocked by police.
Clashes and dozens of arrests have been reported in St Petersburg, where the main protest is taking place.
At least 250 people have been arrested as supporters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny hold protests in some 80 cities across Russia.
According to the human rights website OVD-Info, 66 people were detained.
The protesters are demanding Alexei Navalny, be allowed to stand in 2018 presidential elections.
The rallies coincide with President Vladimir Putin's 65th birthday.
Most are unauthorised, including those in Moscow and St Petersburg.
The third time this year that Mr Navalny has been jailed.
He is currently serving 20 days in jail for repeatedly violating a law on organising public meetings.
Russia's electoral authorities say he cannot stand in the March vote because of a separate suspended sentence.
In recent months he has travelled across Russia in a bid to bolster his makeshift election campaign.
Mr Navalny had been due to attend the main rally taking place on Saturday evening in St Petersburg, Mr Putin's home city.
More than 3,500 people were at the demonstration in Russia's second city, many of them carrying "Navalny 2018" banners.
Media reports say there were a large number of arrests after a group of demonstrators tried to break through a police line.
Several other organisers of the rally and leaders of the pro-democracy group Open Russia - sponsored by exiled former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky - were arrested in the city earlier on Saturday, the website said.
Earlier several people were arrested as hundreds rallied in Moscow's Pushkin Square, though all were reportedly later released.
Police urged people to disperse but did not move to break up the rally. Some protesters marched towards the Kremlin, but were blocked by police.
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