TODAY: Ukraine says harmony with Russia a priority but gas price row continues, Finland getting a deal; military cooperation with Servia, arms deal with Egypt; U.S. cancels helicopter deal; newspaper may have broken ‘gay propaganda’ law; inaugural meeting of Magnitsky commission; Kashin files complaint; ballerina alleges Bolshoi extortion.

Ukraine’s Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky has confirmed that his country, still protesting the high price of Russian gas imports, intends to manage without any further purchases from Russia until 2014.  But Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov says that fixing Ukraine’s relationship with Russia is his government’s top priority.  Business leaders in Ukraine are reportedly getting cold feed about their country’s planned agreement with the E.U., a source of ongoing tension with Russia.  Finland meanwhile has revealed the terms of its gas deal with Russia – at considerably lower rates than other those paid to Russia by other European countries; Finland’s import prices are 50% indexed to oil and other domestic energy prices.  Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu signed a military cooperation agreement with his Serbian counterpart.  Egypt and Russia are poised to strike a $2 billion arms deal today, marking the disintegration of both Cairo and Moscow’s relations with the U.S., which has just canceled its plans to buy more helicopters from Rosoboronexport.  ‘At last, Egypt will be somewhat liberated from American stupidity.’  Duma lawmaker Mikhail Degtyarev compared the U.S. dollar to a Ponzi scheme, and says he wants it banned.