Police detained hundreds of protesters across Russia on Sunday, including Navalny, after thousands took to the streets to demonstrate against corruption and demand the resignation of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Olga Mikhailova, Navalny's lawyer, told Reuters she had expected such a verdict and would appeal it.

A Reuters reporter saw Navalny being loaded into a van, which was quickly surrounded by supporters holding placards reading" "We believe" and "Alexei, we are with you."

The Kremlin on Monday rejected calls by the United States and the European Union to release detained opposition protesters, accusing organisers of paying teenagers to attend.