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Putin's spokesman warns against attempts to hold unauthorized rallies in Moscow

Earlier, representatives of the Open Russia political movement founded by exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky announced plans to hold a 10,000-strong rally on Saturday

MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. Any attempts to hold unauthorized rallies in Moscow on April 29 will bring about a legal response of the authorities, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"We know that indeed there are some persons who again call to take illegal steps when Moscow showed readiness to provide a possibility to gather in a legal way and hold some events," Peskov said.

Any illegal steps will "certainly lead to a response by the authorities - an absolutely legal reaction of authorities in the framework of the law," Peskov stressed.

Earlier, representatives of the Open Russia political movement founded by exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky announced plans to hold a 10,000-strong rally on Saturday across Slavyanskaya Square, Staraya Square and Ilyinka Street, in the heart of Moscow, and hand over petitions to the presidential administration.

After the city authorities offered an alternative venue of the procession, Sakharov Prospect, also located in the center of Moscow, the event’s organizer Mariya Baronova wrote on her Facebook page that the rally "cannot be held in any other place."

The Moscow mayor’s office said it refused to allow holding the rally at an initial venue due to the reconstruction works, noting that a public event there is inconvenient for citizens. The authorities said they sought a compromise with the rally’s organizers.