Police in Russia's Far East broke up a long-running anti-Kremlin protest with force on Saturday, detaining 25 people according to local authorities, in response to what they called an illegal attempt to erect protest tents in a central square.

The European Union's top official has urged Serbia to take concrete steps toward joining the EU, including imposing sanctions on Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Wednesday that it was closely watching events in Madagascar and hoped that bloodshed would be avoided after the military took power following weeks of youth-led protests.

Russian policemen detained historian Valery Solovei after he and dozens of other protesters marched through the centre of Moscow on Saturday to show solidarity with protests in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk.