5 March 2012Last updated at 21:50

In pictures: Rallies after Putin wins Russia election

Anti-corruption blogger Alexey Navalny arrested in Moscow

Anti-corruption blogger Alexey Navalny, left, was one of hundreds of protesters arrested in Moscow and St Petersburg on a day of rallies following the election of Vladimir Putin as president.

Riot police moved in after hundreds of people shouting slogans such as "Russia without Putin" refused to leave Pushkin Square in Moscow. Mr Navalny - who was later released - told protesters that "swindlers and thieves" ruled Russia.

Opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov arrested in Moscow

Opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov was also arrested and dragged away to a waiting police van.

At one point police cordoned off a Moscow metro station to stop other people joining the protesters in Pushkin Square.

Some 250 people were said to have been detained in Moscow.

The protests followed claims of widespread fraud in Sunday's presidential election which observers said had been skewed in Mr Putin's favour.

Police officers detain activists of the Other Russia movement in Moscow

Police also detained activists of the Other Russia movement who tried to hold an unsanctioned protest outside the central election commission in Moscow.

Arrests were also made in St Petersburg, where about 2,000 people had gathered for an unauthorised rally.

Reports say some 300 arrests were made in St Petersburg.

Participants hold placards during a protest demanding fair elections in the south Russian city of Rostov-on-Don

Protests were also held in other parts of Russia. Here a rally in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don called for fair elections.

People protest in Yekaterinburg, 5 March

Hundreds protested against alleged electoral fraud in Yekaterinburg, capital of the Urals region. (Photo sent by local blogger Dmitry Gorchakov)

However, supporters of Mr Putin also made themselves heard in Moscow with a huge rally outside the Kremlin.

Supporters of PM Vladimir Putin celebrate his victory at a rally at the central Manege Square just outside the Kremlin in Moscow

With all the ballots counted, Mr Putin, currently the prime minister, won 63.6% of the vote.

Europe

In pictures: Rallies after Putin wins Russia election

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