TODAY: Navalny briefly detained, issued with warning, 56,000 officers planned for polls; Kremlin warns West on interference in Syria; Putin prohibits public protests at Sochi; Pussy Riot seeking community service; Sechin buys Rosneft stake. 

Moscow mayoral election opposition candidate Alexei Navalny was briefly detained yesterday over alleged violations during a 5,000-strong rally.  A spokesman for the police said that Navalny was ‘invited’ to a police station to give explanations in connection with illegal behaviour, but was quickly released.  The Moscow Elections Commission has apparently issued him with a warning in connection with his allegedly illegal campaign materials, ‘dispelling fears’ that he will be removed from the ballot.  Navalny is not expected to win the September 8 elections (although he is currently estimated as having about 20% of the vote), but his candidacy is seen as having various effects: for example, the ‘conclusive discrediting of the three “systemic opposition parties” – the Liberal Democratic Party, the Communist Party and A Just Russia’.  The Interior Ministry says it is planning to deploy over 56,000 security personnel during the polls.  The Kremlin is warning the western world not to attempt to influence the United Nations inspection team that will investigate a recent alleged chemical attack in Syria, saying that a military operation would be a ‘tragic mistake’.

TODAY: Navalny briefly detained, issued with warning, 56,000 officers planned for polls; Kremlin warns West on interference in Syria; Putin prohibits public protests at Sochi; Pussy Riot seeking community service; Sechin buys Rosneft stake. 

Moscow mayoral election opposition candidate Alexei Navalny was briefly detained yesterday over alleged violations during a 5,000-strong rally.  A spokesman for the police said that Navalny was ‘invited’ to a police station to give explanations in connection with illegal behaviour, but was quickly released.  The Moscow Elections Commission has apparently issued him with a warning in connection with his allegedly illegal campaign materials, ‘dispelling fears’ that he will be removed from the ballot.  Navalny is not expected to win the September 8 elections (although he is currently estimated as having about 20% of the vote), but his candidacy is seen as having various effects: for example, the ‘conclusive discrediting of the three “systemic opposition parties” – the Liberal Democratic Party, the Communist Party and A Just Russia’.  The Interior Ministry says it is planning to deploy over 56,000 security personnel during the polls.  The Kremlin is warning the western world not to attempt to influence the United Nations inspection team that will investigate a recent alleged chemical attack in Syria, saying that a military operation would be a ‘tragic mistake’.