TODAY: Medvedev to discuss thorny issues on first trip to Syria; Obama submits civilian nuclear bill to Congress; Putin Black Sea base plans sends message to Ukraine.  Replica of destroyed Georgian war memorial to be built in Moscow; past and future at Victory Day; compensation for mine blast victims; new poll says a majority of Russians apparently unfussed by violations of civil rights

President Obama has resubmitted to Congress the formerly shelved civil nuclear energy deal with Russia on the basis that the Georgia situation ‘need no longer be considered an obstacle’.  This article in the Huffington Post looks at what lies in the way of  improved US-Russia ties.  Dmitry Medvedev’s trip to Syria is the first ever by a Russian head of state: RFE/RL has an interview with Mark Katz, an expert on Russian policy in the Middle East, examining what Medvedev hopes for from this meeting.  Sensitive issues such as Syria’s donating Russian rockets to Hizballah, nuclear energy and military cooperation are expected to be discussed.  A minor diplomatic spat between Israel and Russia occurred on Monday night as authorities in St. Petersburg refused to allow an Arkia plane to fly out of the city.  The Moscow Times suggests that Putin’s recent visit to the new Russian naval base in the Black Sea, ‘sent a political message that Russia would continue to take precautions against potential future changes in the Ukrainian government’.  Pro-Western protesters have mounted a demonstration in Ukraine against President Viktor Yanukovych’s overtures towards the Kremlin.