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Strike between the supporters of Alexej Navalny and the Russian security forces: During demonstrations for the detained Kremlin critic, hundreds of people were arrested by early Wednesday evening - the OVD observation group even speaks of over 1,000 arrests.
People took part in rallies in dozens of cities across the country.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg alone, thousands took to the streets despite the massive police presence.
According to the police, at least 6,000 people gathered in Moscow that evening for solidarity rallies for the imprisoned opposition activists.
They shouted "freedom" and "Putin is a thief" as they marched towards the headquarters of the FSB domestic intelligence agency.
According to the police, there were at least 4,500 demonstrators in St. Petersburg.
An AFP reporter reported how security forces brutally arrested demonstrators after a while or followed them into the metro stations.
In the east of the country, as well as in the Urals and in Siberia, people had taken to the streets earlier.
The police spoke of 14,000 demonstrators in 29 cities, significantly fewer than in the mass protests earlier this year.
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Navalny has been on hunger strike for three weeks to seek treatment from an independent doctor.
He complains of back pain and paralysis in the limbs.
According to the Russian prison system, he is being treated in an infirmary in the prison camp.
The authorities see no danger to his life.
Navalny's wife Julia, his brother Oleg and his mother also took part in the illegal actions in Moscow.
Raids across the country
Followers of Navalny posted videos on Twitter of demonstrations in cities such as Vladivostok and Novosibirsk, during which people demanded the 44-year-old's release and repeatedly chanted slogans against Putin.
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Security forces had already taken massive action against Nawalny's supporters in the run-up to the demonstrations.
According to OVD-Info, there were raids and arrests in almost 30 cities.
Among other things, Navalny's office in St. Petersburg was searched and his confidants Lyubov Sobol and Kira Jarmysch were arrested.
Supporters of the Kremlin critic had called for the nationwide demonstrations.
It is no longer just about his freedom, but "about his life", wrote the Navalny confidante Leonid Volkov.
Navalny's life in "serious danger"
According to his supporters, Nawalny's health has deteriorated massively.
His doctors recently warned of the risk of cardiac arrest in the 44-year-old.
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UN human rights experts also fear for Navalny's life.
His life is "in serious danger," said a statement published on Wednesday by four UN-appointed experts, who do not speak on their behalf.
The opposition politician must be able to be "evacuated abroad for urgent medical care".
The fate of Navalny and the crackdown on his supporters has met with sharp criticism from abroad.
Apparently with a view to this, Putin warned of an escalation: "I hope nobody gets the idea to cross the red line," he told MPs and high-ranking government officials.
Exceeding it would cause a "harsh" reaction.