Police in Moscow has raided the office of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin and the governing United Russia party, detaining him briefly on Thursday.

Navalny has been jailed repeatedly in recent years for organizing or participating in unsanctioned protests. His Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) organization has produced reports alleging corruption by top figures including Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev.

Navalny was detained when police forced their way into his organization's office, according to his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh. There was no immediate information on charges against him.

The raid came a day after Navalny said that the military conscription of one of his allies to a remote airbase in the Arctic amounted to kidnapping and illegal imprisonment.