Greater than 1,700 individuals have been arrested throughout Russia on Thursday as protesters took to the streets in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The protests marked the biggest Russia has seen since rallies have been held in help of Russian opposition chief Aleksei Navalny in early 2021, throughout which the impartial Russian human rights group OVD-Data reported hundreds have been taken into custody by police. Hundreds of individuals in Russia equally rallied Thursday in a present of rejection for Russian President Vladimir Putin's early morning invasion of Ukraine, a transfer that has been extensively condemned by leaders all over the world.

By Thursday evening, OVD-Data reported no less than 1,745 individuals in cities throughout Russia had been arrested, with practically 1,000 arrested within the nation's capital, in line with The Related Press.

The variety of arrestees climbed to no less than 1,758 shortly after midnight native time Friday morning, OVD-Data reported. Although protesters have been taken into custody in additional than 50 cities, the majority of reported arrests happened in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

OVD-Data is updating its arrest stories in actual time with the names and places of arrestees additionally out there on its web site.

World leaders have been fast to sentence Russia's actions in Ukraine, with U.S. President Joe Bidencalling the invasion "an unprovoked and unjustified assault."

In feedback Biden delivered to the general public Thursday afternoon, he described Russian President Vladimir Putin's army escalation as "premeditated" and stated it was "unfolding largely as we predicted."

"He moved blood provides into place and constructed a discipline hospital, which tells you all it's essential to find out about his intentions all alongside," Biden stated.

In an deal with of his personal on Thursday, Putin stated his "particular army operation" was meant to "defend individuals who, for eight years now, have been going through humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kiev regime."

"To this finish, we'll search to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine, in addition to deliver to trial those that perpetrated quite a few bloody crimes towards civilians, together with towards residents of the Russian Federation," Putin stated.

Biden on Thursday described the leadup to Russia's invasion as "staged political theater" and stated Putin's allegations of genocide in Ukraine have been "with none proof."

As stories unfold of individuals in Russia encouraging participation in anti-war demonstrations, the Investigative Committee of Russia launched a press release discouraging "unauthorized occasions" that have been "related to the tense international coverage scenario."

"We remind that requires participation and direct participation in occasions that aren't licensed in accordance with the established process entail critical authorized penalties," the committee stated. "The legislation supplies for extreme punishment for organizing mass riots, in addition to for resisting legislation enforcement officers."

Replace: 2/24/22 6:50 P.M.This text has been up to date with further info and background.

Russian protests
OVD-Data reported greater than 1,700 protesters have been arrested throughout Russia on February 24, 2022. Above, cops detain a demonstrator throughout a protest towards Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Moscow on February 24, 2022.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP through Getty Photographs