Police in Moscow detained at least two people outside the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration on Tuesday as they arrived to submit appeals on street improvements and animal protection, the outlet RusNews reported.
Among those detained was Benes Ayo, a well-known activist and inspector with the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (Rosprirodnadzor). According to RusNews, a fellow activist was recording him on camera at the moment of detention. Ayo was taken to the Kitai-Gorod police station.
A second activist was detained while sitting on the sidewalk. The reason given was that she had arrived at the administration building with a pitchfork, RusNews reported. Novaya Gazeta Europe noted that dozens of people had gathered outside the building to submit their appeals.
The activists are demanding a law that addresses the causes of stray animals rather than the animals themselves, and are also calling for the preservation of Losiny Ostrov National Park and other natural areas. One participant told RusNews she has been feeding homeless animals with her own money for 17 years and is outraged that this could be banned. "A country of ghouls or what?" she said.
Animal rights activists previously came to the presidential administration building with signatures under petitions against the law on killing stray animals in March, July and December 2025, Ekho recalled. Each time, long queues formed at the entrance.