TODAY: Russia signs CIS free trade agreement with 7 member states; Medvedev’s premiership next year is not a done deal; how Russia armed the Arab Spring; U.S. offers written assurance, offers Russia full inspection privileges on missile shield; Occupy Russia slow to get off the ground; British MP’s aid denies espionage; Latynina on Tymoshenko.

Following talks in St Petersburg, Russia has signed a free trade agreement with CIS member states Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, as Vladimir Putin promised that the move would ‘mak[e] our economies more competitive’.  The Prime Minister is also pushing for closer integration between ex-Soviet states, which is currently ‘top of his agenda’.  Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan failed to sign, but have not ruled out doing so before the end of the year.  Putin has hinted that Dmitry Medvedev will not necessarily step into the premiership next year, and that his future role will depend on how United Russia fares in the December elections.  On Putin’s ‘patronage system’.  An Amnesty International report reveals the roles of Russia, Europe and the U.S. in arming the Arab Spring.