TODAY: St. Petersburg’s gay rights supporters outnumbered by Orthodox protesters; E.U. appeals to Russia over human rights; U.S. condemns Russian missile shipment to Syria; alleged spy Fogle leaves Russia; Supreme Court to hear Khodorkovsky appeal; Navalny’s father summoned; Synertech arrest; Gazprom’s crisis; robocops.

A sanctioned gay rally held in St. Petersburg on Friday lasting just 15 minutes was attacked by skinheads with smoke bombs, with Orthodox Christian activists reportedly outnumbering gay protesters two-to-one.  A further rally planned to be held in Moscow this week has been denied permission by the authorities. ‘Every year, they find a reason to reject it.’  A Levada Center Poll conducted to mark the International Day Against Homophobia found that almost half of Russians think homosexuals should have diminished rights, 38% believe that gay people should receive medical treatment, and 13% think they should be prosecuted.  The European Union is appealing to Russia not to adopt a nationwide law banning ‘gay propaganda’,  part of a wider critique of the country’s human rights record, following a meeting with Russian officials in Brussels.  America’s top military officer condemned an ‘ill-timed’ Russian shipment of defence missiles to Syria, warning that it ‘will embolden the regime’.  Israel also expressed alarm over the news.  Russia has expelled former U.S. Embassy official Thomas Firestone, possibly for turning down an invitation to spy for the intelligence services.  The Federal Security Service has revealed the identity of the C.I.A.’s station chief in Moscow, a breach of protocol likely to cause anger in Washington.  Alleged C.I.A. spy Ryan Fogle (the story has been profiled in The Independent) has left Russia, having been ordered to do so.