MOSCOW, Oct 15 (AFP): Russian investigators raided opposition offices across the country on Tuesday, in the latest move to increase pressure on chief government critic Alexei Navalny and his allies.
The raids, which investigators said were linked to suspicions of financial crimes, followed similar mass searches last month and came less than a week after Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) was declared "a foreign agent".
Opposition leaders have denounced the moves as attempts to intimidate them after a summer of protests and significant losses suffered by Kremlin allies in a Moscow municipal election in September.
Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement that searches were underway at FBK offices in 30 Russian regions, as well as at residences of the group's regional employees.
The committee has repeatedly accused Navalny's foundation of financial crimes, including money laundering and accepting illegal donations, and frozen its accounts.
Navalny, whose group often publishes investigations into top state officials, said on Twitter that the raids started at 6:00 am.
"The 'law enforcement system of Russia' is using all of its efforts to protect corrupt officials and bribe takers," he said.
FBK employees said the foundation's offices in Moscow were also being raided.
While barred from mainstream politics, Navalny has worked to expose the wealth of Russia's elite, broadcasting the findings of investigations to millions on social media.
In August, Russian investigators launched a money-laundering probe into FBK, accusing it of taking money that was procured illegally.
Last month, investigators raided dozens of Navalny's regional offices, as well as the homes of his supporters, following mass opposition protests in Moscow this summer.
Navalny blamed the raids on Kremlin "hysteria" sparked by the ruling party's losses in local elections last month.
He said police searched more than 200 addresses in 41 cities across Russia.
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