MOSCOW, Jan 31: Russian security forces on Saturday arrested dozens of activists as the authorities forcefully broke up protests against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s handling of the economic crisis.

Eduard Limonov, head of the banned National Bolshevik Party, was among those arrested by security forces when he was about to address an unauthorised protest meeting in central Moscow.

Police said a total of 41 people had been arrested in a series of protests in Moscow.

Earlier, between 5,000 and 8,000 people turned out for a pro-government demonstration just outside the Kremlin walls, shouting slogans in favour of Mr Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev.

In the northern city of Saint Petersburg, riot police arrived on the scene in three armoured vehicles and a bus ahead of a planned anti-government protest which was cancelled as a result. A single protester stood with a placard of anti-government demands, an AFP correspondent said.