TODAY: United Russia to be dismantled? Putin campaign accused of abusing administrative resources; PACE having trouble scheduling a meeting with the PM; state television report; St. Petersburg police head fired; space engineer sentenced; Russia may halt U.S. adoptions.

Could the Kremlin be plotting to address sagging support for United Russia by dismantling the party altogether?  The party’s long-term top official, Andrei Vorobyov, resigned over the weekend.  Vladimir Putin’s campaign manager says corruption in Russia used to be ‘civilized’, as Europe’s PACE Assembly says that all presidential candidates are accusing the Prime Minister of abusing his administrative resources for his presidential campaign.  PACE head Tiny Kox also said that the Assembly has been denied access to Putin, having been told that ‘a meeting does not fit’ into his plans.  Putin’s most recent election promise is that he will reverse Russia’s demographic decline.  Hacked Nashi emails make the state agency ‘look like a branch of the Cosa Nostra,’ says Viktor Davidoff.  Organisers of last week’s pro-Kremlin rally were fined $33 for exceeding attendance limits.  A handful of whom appear in an online gallery here) face a similar fine.