TODAY: Nord Stream now fully operational; Lavrov says E.U. visa decision delay is political; Kyrgyzstan to join customs union; Udaltsov investigated over coup allegations; Yabloko candidate withdraws; Kudrin offered regulator role; MegaFon announces London IPO.

The second phase of the Nord Stream pipeline is now in operation – chief Alexei Miller commented on the ‘symbolism’ of its beginning full capacity on Vladmir Putin’s birthday.  Despite the pipeline’s new doubled capacity, gas volumes have not changed, and demand has not increased.  Following his visit to Russia, the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister, Erlan Abdyldaev, has announced that Kyrgyzstan will join the Russia-led customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan.  Opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov has been summoned for questioning over allegations that he conspired to launch a revolution, after state-run NTV broadcast allegedly secretly-filmed footage of him meeting a Georgian politician.  New polls from the Levada Center indicate that public support for large opposition protests is slipping.  ‘Today a grave and gross error of judgement is taking place with Radio Liberty.’  Yabloko’s candidate for the role of Governor in Bryansk has withdrawn from the race.  Masha Gessen remembers Anna Politkovskaya.