Dissidents quizzed as tens of thousands attend anti-Putin protest

Since embarking on his third presidential term, Mr Putin has taken a stern stance toward the opposition, including signing a repressive new bill last week introducing heavy penalties for taking part in unauthorised rallies.

Police on Monday searched opposition leaders’ apartments, carting away computers, mobile phones and other personal items. They also demanded that opposition leaders attend for questioning yesterday just an hour before the rally began – widely seen as a crude attempt by the government to scare the protesters.

The march was being held on Russia Day, a national holiday

Left-wing politician Sergei Udaltsov snubbed the summons. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it would not immediately seek his arrest but would interrogate him later.

Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navaly, liberal activist Ilya Yashin and TV host Ksenia Sobchak showed up for the interrogations, preventing them from attending the demonstration.

Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said authorities had found a large amount of cash at Sobchak’s apartment and would check on whether she had paid her taxes.

Ms Sobchak, the only daughter of St Petersburg’s late mayor, a man who was Mr Putin’s mentor, had been spared reprisals until Monday’s raid. “I never thought that we would slide back to such repressions,” she tweeted.