Thousands March in Moscow to Honour Murdered Boris Nemtsov

Thousands of people began a march in central Moscow on Sunday afternoon to honour the memory of the murdered Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.

Moscow police said some 16,500 people were taking part in the march about an hour after it started around 3 pm local time (1200 GMT), RIA Novosti reported. Earlier, AFP put the the number of the participants at over 10,000.

Opposition supporters have been gathering at a point not far from the Kremlin. The first marchers are on their way to the spot on Great Moskvoretsky Bridge where Nemtsov was shot dead on Friday, the BBC said.

With placards reading "Heroes don't die", "He fought for free Russia" and "He fought for our future" people walked in silence. Many were carrying the national flag and flowers to lay at the site of the assassination just right next to the Kremlin.

Several thousand people were also to have shown up for a march St Petersburg to honour the outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Reuters quoted opposition leader Gennady Gudkov as saying before the march: "If we can stop the campaign of hate that's being directed at the opposition, then we have a chance to change Russia. If not, then we face the prospect of mass civil conflict."

"The authorities are corrupt and don't allow any threats to them to emerge. Boris was uncomfortable for them."