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Pro-Kremlin movement members released

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MOSCOW, January 9 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow police have released members of a pro-Kremlin youth movement detained earlier on Wednesday during an unsanctioned rally near the EU office in Moscow, Nashi leader Nikita Borovikov said.

"We have no complaints against the law enforcement agencies. We did not get permission for today's event, and the policemen did what they were supposed to," he said, adding that the Nashi members had been detained for around two hours.

Police earlier today detained about 50 members of Nashi as well as the group's head, Borovikov.

"We installed a bell that was to toll for democracy in Europe. The movement's leader spoke for a while, but police quickly dispersed the rally," a Nashi spokeswoman said earlier.

She said the movement had decided to hold a protest after some members were refused visas for Europe, in particular for Estonia and Finland.

Moscow police said the rally participants would be fined.

Today's rally was to mark the start of a series of protests Nashi is planning to hold near the EU office in Moscow every three days.

Nashi, founded in March 2005, has been involved in a number of high-profile activities, including a recent blockade of Estonia's embassy in Moscow in response to the ex-Soviet Baltic state's decision to move a WWII war monument in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

The group also held rallies to garner support for the United Russia party backed by President Vladimir Putin in the run-up to the December 2 parliamentary polls.

Borovikov, 26, replaced former Nashi leader Vasily Yakemenko in December. Yakemenko stepped down as leader of the Nashi, or 'Ours,' movement and took up a top position with an Education Ministry committee on youth affairs.

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