Opposition supporters and ordinary people in several cities across Russia on February 27 marked eight years since opposition leader Boris Nemtsov's assassination, amid an increased police presence.
People gathered to commemorate Nemtsov in Moscow, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Perm, and Barnaul.
A woman was detained by police in Moscow while paying tribute to him at a makeshift memorial where the Russian politician was killed, Novaya gazeta reported.
Footage shows the woman trying to lay a piece of paper with "Fight!" written on it at the memorial, according to the newspaper. The police then forced the woman to remove the paper from the memorial before taking her away.
Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister who was once regarded as a potential successor to President Boris Yeltsin, was a staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In Moscow, people laid flowers on the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge -- in view of the Kremlin -- where Nemtsov was shot dead on February 27, 2015. Police officers stopped some passersby, but no arrests were made.
In Novosibirsk, people brought flowers for a second day in a row to the monument to the victims of political repression, where a memorial dedicated to Nemtsov was organized on February 26.
Boris Nemtsov
In Yekaterinburg, a memorial watch was held, with people bringing flowers after authorities banned portraits, posters, and candles and beefed up the presence of security forces.
In Perm, commemorations were held on February 26 in the form of a community work day at the local memorial to the victims of political repression after authorities twice refused to allow a rally. Participants laid flowers but did not carry placards or voice any political demands. The police monitored the event and filmed it, according to local activist Mikhail Kasimov.
In Barnaul, a commemoration was held by the local branch of the opposition Yabloko party in Freedom Square near the monument to the victims of political repression. The event was approved by the mayor's office, but the police fenced off the perimeter in advance and installed metal detectors at the entrance.
In 2017, a court sentenced a former deputy commander of the Chechen Sever battalion, Zaur Dadayev, to 20 years in prison for killing Nemtsov. Four other Chechens were given terms of between 11 and 19 years in prison after being convicted of involvement.
However, the Russian authorities have failed to determine who ordered it.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement on February 27 that Nemtsov has continued to be an inspiration for other pro-democracy activists such as Aleksei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who have both been imprisoned by Putin's government.
"Today, as we pay homage to Boris Nemtsov and his legacy, we also recognize those brave Russians who continue to work in the face of severe repression for a better future for their country," the statement said.