Iran Press/Europe: Thousands of protesters ignored extreme cold and police warnings and held protests to demand the release of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Navalny had called on his supporters to protest on Saturday after being arrested last weekend as he returned to Russia from Germany.
Authorities had warned people to stay away from the protests, saying they risked catching COVID-19 as well as prosecution and possible jail time for attending an unauthorized event. But protesters defied the ban and bitter cold and turned out in force in more than 60 Russian cities.
Navalny has always been backed by the United States and its allies in Europe.
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