Interior Ministry issued order to “minimize the detention” of protesters, but over a thousand arrested in Moscow

Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs had apparently issued an order requesting that police “minimize the detention” of people protesting in Moscow on March 26 before the protests began, said deputy minister Igor Zubov in praise of the police. Zubov also claimed that police employees were asked to be loyal and not to succumb to provocation.

According to official data, more than 600 people were detained in Moscow in what was the largest police operation in recent years. For comparison, less than 500 people were detained during the 2012 “March of the millions” in Bolotnaya Square.

Human rights defenders maintain, however, that over a thousand people were detained in Moscow, amongst them 46 minors.

Zubov added that a “full analysis” of the protest is expected, with an investigation into the serious injuries of a Rosgvardia fighter. According to Zubov, there were no other injured parties amongst police officials.

On March 26, anti-corruption protests took place in Moscow and nearly a hundred other cities across Russia. In most instances, they were not pre-approved by local authorities.