Riot police cracked down on anti-war protesters that had gathered in Moscow, Russia on Thursday, February 24 following attacks on neighboring Ukraine.

Video taken in the Russian capital shows security officers marching towards Pushkinskaya Square to halt the locals' rare display of dissent. In another clip, police can be seen pinning a demonstrator to the ground.

Independent Russian human rights monitor OVD-Info said more than 700 people were arrested in Moscow alone. It said at least 1,391 protesters have been detained as protests denouncing the invasion of Ukraine were staged across 51 cities.

Riot police cracked down on anti-war protesters that had gathered in Moscow, Russia on Thursday following attacks on neighbouring Ukraine.

Video taken in the Russian capital on February 24 evening shows security officers marching towards Pushkinskaya Square to halt the locals' rare display of dissent. In another clip, police can be seen pinning a demonstrator to the ground.

Independent Russian human rights monitor OVD-Info said more than 700 people were arrested in Moscow alone. It said at least 1,391 protesters have been detained as protests denouncing the invasion of Ukraine were staged across 51 cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine’s Donbas region. He said in a public address on Thursday: ‘We decided to launch a special military action aimed at demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine.’

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded for peace, but added that Ukraine will defend itself from any invasion attempts. He said: ‘If they attack, if they try to take our county – our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children – we will be defending ourselves.’

Ukraine said it had killed ‘around 50 Russian occupiers’ while the large-scale attack left at least 137 civilians and soldiers dead, and 316 more injured.