Moscow - Russian police detained 20 journalists covering a rally in central Moscow organised by the wives of soldiers deployed to the frontline in Ukraine, as reported by independent outlets on Saturday.
The protest, led by the wives of mobilised men, is part of a growing movement advocating for the return of their husbands and sons from the conflict in Ukraine. These relatives of military reservists have been gathering weekly to voice their demands publicly.
In the ninth and largest demonstration to date, which marked 500 days since President Vladimir Putin's controversial mass mobilisation of reservists, the women were filmed laying red carnations at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, near the Kremlin's walls in central Moscow, on Saturday.
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However, as the women proceeded towards Moscow's Red Square, Russian police detained around 20 male journalists, many wearing press vests, and transported them to a police station.
Independent Russian news outlet SOTAvision reported that 27 people were taken from the demonstration and transported to the nearest police station.
According to SOTAvision, most were later released, although a male protester, Yaroslav Ryazanov, was still in detention on Saturday evening. Reuters and Agence France-Presse said their journalists were among those detained.
Protesters on Saturday marked 500 days since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "partial mobilisation" of up to 300,000 reservists after the army suffered battlefield setbacks in Ukraine.
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These demonstrations come just weeks before Russia's upcoming presidential election scheduled for March 15 through 17, where Putin is all but certain to win.
