Russia/Civil Unrest: Environmental activists riot, throw smoke bombs
 
Russian Officials stated on Thursday that the protest of environmental activists against the felling of the Khimki forest broke into a riot, while they hurled smoke bombs and smashed windows of the town’s administration buildings.

Reportedly, around 500 activists had gathered at the scene and started shouting slogans in support of the forest. Further reports on the Kommersant daily said that most of the people involved in the riot were from "anti-fascist" and anarchist groups.
 
Meanwhile, police have arrested nine activists, including the organizer of the protest, Yevgenia Chirikova. However, she said her group had nothing to do with the violent riots, further pointing fingers on extremist groups.

Earlier last week, police had briefly detained and released Yuri Timofeev, a photographer for RFE/RL’s Russian service; and Elena Kostyuchenko, a correspondent with the independent daily Novaya Gazeta.