TODAY: British Foreign Secretary accuses Russia of “staining” its own reputation. Bulgarian co-operation with Russia. Oleg Mitvol resigns. Two activists quit over row with Kasparov. Medvedev promises: no state grab. After officials were questioned by authorities, the British Council consented to close its offices in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. One journalist details British MPs’ responses. Another looks at the popularity of British music culture in clubs across Russia. The British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, has denounced Russia’s actions as “reprehensible” and a “stain” on its reputation. Britain has warned Russia that its actions could make it harder to strike a free trade deal with the EU or join international organizations. “Nothing impresses the great mass of the Russian electorate more than the sight of its leader taking a stand against its 19th-century imperialist rival, which is why Mr Putin has singled out Britain, rather than Germany and France, as the main object of his grandstanding exploits these past 12 months.”