Vladimir Putin Hails Victory As Moscow Protest Alleges "Vote Fraud"

The crowd chanted "Putin is a thief!" and called for the release of political prisoners

Russia's Communist Party on Saturday led a thousand-strong protest in central Moscow over what they called "colossal" fraud in parliamentary polls as police detained a number of activists.

It was the first sizable Moscow protest since this month's controversial polls, and police did not break up the unsanctioned rally but played loud music in an effort to drown out the protesters.

Before and during the protest, authorities detained a number of activists including Sergei Udaltsov, head of a radical socialist group, Left Front, according to OVD-Info, which tracks detentions at opposition rallies.

In his residence outside Moscow, Russia President Vladimir Putin hailed the ruling party's "convincing victory" and said Russian democracy was growing stronger as he hosted the heads of five parties which won parliamentary seats, including Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov.