TODAY: Regional elections held over the weekend – low turnouts and accusations of cheating; Justice Minister slams European Court of Human Rights; Italy gives Russia a church; US and Russia to begin official talks at the end of the week; businessman files suit against Putin?

Russia held its regional elections on Sunday, with provisional results indicating that United Russia will collect the majority of votes, although turnout was markedly lower than usual, and the opposition Communist and nationalist parties have complained of cheating and ‘large-scale falsifications’.  United Russia called the accusations ‘political opportunism’.  Potential voters in one Urals town said it ‘doesn’t matter’ who won the elections, because ‘Medvedev came after Putin, and nothing has actually changed‘.  A poll by the Levada Center suggests that, since the election of President Dmitry Medvedev [one year ago today], the number of Russians who believe Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is the most influential man in the country has almost doubled.  Russia’s Justice Minister doubts ‘the impartiality and full objectivity’ of the European Court of Human Rights, due to the sheer volume of rulings it has made against Russia.