TODAY: New Unity day holiday marked by major far-right demonstration; UN places Russia 65th on development list; Putin ranks 4th on Forbes power ranking.  Memorial to victims of Soviet repression praised by activists; Georgia arrests alleged Russian spies.  Obama urges Senate to ratify START; Kurils dispute continues; NATO Secretary General extends hand of Facebook friendship; Russia expresses concern at NATO’s Afghanistan tactic; farewell Chernomyrdin, long live Chernomyrdinisms.

At least 5,000 Russian nationalists celebrated Unity Day with cries of ‘Russia for Russians’ at a sanctioned anti-immigration rally in a Moscow suburb, in what reports have called the largest far-right demonstration in five years.  Pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi claims it mobilized more than 15,000 people for its march on the banks of the Moscow River.  The United Nations has ranked Russia 65th in its annual report on comprehensive human development: the country has only improved its ranking by three places since 2005’s report.  Brian Whitmore considers why comparing Putin to Brezhnev is tempting, but may underestimate the Prime Minister’s long-term game plan.  Putin has been named the fourth most powerful person in the world in Forbes magazine’s power ranking for 2010; President Medvedev trails behind number 12.  Georgian authorities have arrested 13 people, four Russians and nine Georgians, on suspicion of spying for Russia.