TODAY: Medvedev signs ban on gay marriage adoptions; Putin backs Egyptian military chief for president; Lavrov to meet with German counterpart; Pamfilova new rights ombudsman; IOC wants clarification on activist sentence; Plushchenko retires from figure skating; golden parachutes limitation does not go far enough; Lenta prices IPO.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a government resolution that will impose restrictions on the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries that have legalised same-sex marriage.  President Vladimir Putin publicly wished victory to Egypt’s military chief, Field Marshal Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, with his bid at the presidency – even though al-Sisi has yet to announce that he is even running.  The chief’s visit to Russia was an opportunity for Putin to indirectly criticise American influence in the foreign policies of other countries, and gives a broad indication of increased cooperation between the two in defence and arms cooperation.  A U.S. analyst dryly noted that Russian assistance would spare Egypt any ‘lectures on human rights’.  A survey by a U.S. pollster indicates that Americans’ opinions of Russia are at their lowest in twenty years.  Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet with his German counterpart in Moscow today.  Russia is ‘counting on Ukraine’s return to the integration process’ with its customs union, according to a Kremlin official.  Putin has nominated Ella Pamfilova – an outspoken Kremlin critic – as his new human rights ombudsman.