TODAY: Moscow opposition members signal solidarity with Astrakhan hunger strikers; Ksenia Sobchak shakes up awards ceremony; counter revolution committee.  Schoolgirl beating casts shadow on police work; Polish anger over Smolensk air crash reignites; Syria attempts to curry favor in Moscow; Rogozin denies NATO air base plans; forest fires; Viktor Bout

Russia’s Left Front Movement coordinator Sergei Udaltsov has apparently joined the political hunger strike started 25 days ago by Astrakhan opposition politician Oleg Shein in protest against election fraud.  Udaltsov led dozens of demonstrators to Moscow’s Astrakhan region representative office, to protest the disputed elections in the south Russian city, promising ‘rallies here every day until this very important issue is resolved’.  Alexei Navalny has announced his support for Shein via Twitter and apparently plans to travel to Astrakhan, which has become a hub of opposition activity, today.  It girl and opposition protestor Ksenia Sobchak apparently highlighted Putin’s use of political pressure on charities when presenting an award to actress Chulpan Khamatova, who made a video backing his bid for the presidency, by asking if her support for the President elect was genuine.  The Moscow Times reports that the State Duma CIS Affairs Committee is to have a new council designed to neutralize the threat of ‘color revolutions’.  Say goodbye top Russia’s last Yeltsin-era governor.