opposition rally

MOSCOW — Police clashed with demonstrators protesting alleged election fraud in Moscow and at least two other major Russian cities on Tuesday as anger boiled over against strongman Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his United Russia party.

At least 250 people were detained by police at a protest in downtown Moscow that included fireworks thrown at a group of pro-Kremlin youth, said city police spokesman Maxim Kolosvetov.

After the killing of dozens of pro-democracy demonstrators by security forces in Guinea last week, West African leaders have sent a presidential mediator in a bid to calm tensions.

Human rights groups say 157 were killed, more than 1,200 were wounded and many women were raped at what started as a peaceful opposition rally.