Moscow objects to U.S. embassy's support for 'illegal' protests in Russia -RIA

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on Monday objected to what he called the United States' envoy in Moscow John Sullivan's support for "illegal" protests in Russia, the RIA news agency reported. Police detained more than 3,000 people and used force to break up rallies across Russia on Saturday as tens of thousands of protesters ignored extreme cold and police warnings to demand the release of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Prior to the protests, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had issued a "Demonstration Alert", warning U.S. citizens to avoid the protests and naming the venues in Russian cities where protesters planned to gather.