December 14, 2009 By Citizen M

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – Dec 14, 2009

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TODAY: Medvedev fires prison officials connected with Sergei Magnitsky’s death; imposters cash in on Perm investigations; Medvedev’s European-Atlantic security body, NATO, what does failed missile test say about Russia’s defense strategy?; Abkhazia vote ‘invalid’; protesters mark Constitution Day.
Medvedev’s proposal for a new European-Atlantic security body is not receiving enthusiastic responses – which is unfortunate, says Reuters, as ‘this is one of the few occasions where Russia isn’t disagreeing but coming up with something constructive‘.  Some might say that the move is an attempt to sidestep Russia’s troubled relationship with NATO.  A US defense analyst says that Russia’s failed missile test last week indicates serious problems in the country’s strategic nuclear infrastructure, and suggests Russia’s leaders believe that ‘the ability to threaten the United States would bring Russia to parity with it‘.  EU monitors want Russian forces to pull back from the Georgian village of Perevi, saying that military presence there is raising tensions.  Protesters say that the result of Abkhazia’s Saturday elections is invalid.