A number of left-wing activists, including blogger Aleksey Navalny and Left Front leader Sergey Udaltsov, have been detained after a night of protest in Russia's capital against the presidential inauguration of Vladimir Putin.

The protest was organized by Aleksey Navalny, who called on his supporters via Twitter to come to central Moscow and take part in a “popular promenade” to “fight for a better future.” Sergey Udaltsov said that the rally was in protest of the formation of the new government. Protesters fear Mr. Putin’s inauguration for a six-year term after four years as premier, and eight before that as president, heralds political and economic stagnation in the world’s largest country. Many see his choice of Medvedev as premier as an insult to democracy, which Russia claims to be.

At approximately 3am police began to address the demonstrators with megaphones demanding that they disperse and leave the area. However, reports suggest that when participants tried to move away they were blocked by the authorities. It was then that Navalny and Udaltsov were arrested, along with three others.

Both Udaltsov and Navalny were also detained on Sunday following the 'March of the Millions' in another area of Moscow, but were soon released. The March on Sunday saw clashes with the police, as thousands took to the streets.