Russia has ratified Protocol 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, breaking a long-standing blockade.  United Russia said the change was the result of concessions made by the Council of Europe, although officials at the organization insisted that no changes to the protocol had been made.  Protocol 14 is designed to speed up the work of the court and reduce its backlog.  Kremlin whispers suggest that Russian leaders would prefer to see Viktor Yanukovych (‘the archenemy of Ukraine’s pro-democracy movement‘) win Ukraine’s presidential elections ‘because he is tied to the pro-Russia sentiment of his supporters‘, says the Moscow Times.  Yanukovych is currently leading the exit polls, but reports suggest that a second round of voting may be required to determine a clear winner.