Today there was a notable exchange between PM Vladimir Putin and EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso, when the latter raised his concerns over the murder of Stanislav Markelov and other notable human rights abuses occurring in Russia. 

In my opinion, it was about time that Europe woke up to the fact that it is not OK, it is not normal for the leadership of any country to say nothing about the assassinations of human rights lawyers in broad daylight on the sidewalks on their capital.  We can only hope that this is the beginning of a new dialogue and a greater interest in the plight of the Kremlin’s victims, and not the last word.

Putin, however, had one of his Kursk moments, and briefly lost his temper with a person he is said to regard as a mere European bureaucrat.  What made Putin the most angry was the fact that Medvedev was not present to take the blame.  This is, as far as I know, the first time we have seen how disturbed and panicked the Kremlin is over the murder of Markelov.  From what we know from media reports, the only other names which raise a similar reaction are “Mikhail Khodorkovsky” and “Anna Politkovskaya.”