A new VTsIOM survey shows political apathy on the rise, with 61% of respondents saying they pay no attention to Russian politics, although 80% said they were involved in local community events.  The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the 2007 dissolution of Vladimir Ryzhkov’s Republican Party was unjustified; Ryzhkov says he may use the ruling to register a new party.  Members of the European Parliament have implied that the EU should adopt the same policies for Russia and Belarus regarding the freedom and fairness of elections, implying that sanctions could be imposed against Russian civil servants.  Russia’s military presence in Armenia will be prolonged under a new agreement between the two which extends Russia’s lease on the Gyumri military base until 2044.  The leftist Rot Front party has had its fifth registration attempt rejected over the symbolic ‘extremism‘ of its emblem.