Russian police 'arrest mother and children over forest protest'

Environmental activists trying to save part of the ancient Khimki woodland say woman is falsely accused of making hoax bomb threat
  • The Guardian,
Environmental activists attach a sign with their family name to a tree during a protest in the Khimki forest, known as Moscow's green belt. Photograph: Sergey Ponomarev/AP

Environmentalists trying to protect an ancient woodland near Moscow say police have arrested an activist and her children, aged three and six.

Yaroslav Nikitenko, spokesman for a group defending the Khimki forest, said Alla Chernysheva was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat.

He said she was innocent and her arrest was an attempt to intimidate the group. Police denied knowledge of the detention.

Part of the Khimki forest is being pulled down to make way for a Moscow-St Petersburg motorway. Corruption in such projects is common in Russia. Several journalists and activists who have written or campaigned against the project have been attacked and beaten.

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