Putin pamphlets seized

Police in Vladimir Putin's hometown of St Petersburg seized pamphlets criticising the Prime Minister on the eve of a high-profile business forum showcasing Russia, opposition leaders said.

St Petersburg police confiscated 100,000 copies of a new report on Putin's decade in power, said Olga Kurnosova, head of the local branch of the opposition United Civil Front.

Kurnosova contended police were trying to keep the 45-page report from the public and visitors at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which starts today.