After some initial confusion and an initial denial that President Dmitry Medvedev had nominated Sergei Sobyanin, it is being widely reported that Sobyanin, ‘a top manager of the United Russia party’, has indeed been appointed as Moscow’s new mayor, despite rumors of his ‘reluctance‘.  As yet, no date has been set for a vote (‘which is widely expected to be little more than a rubber-stamping‘).  ‘The selection of Mr. Sobyanin points to how Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Putin are installing dependable allies in major political posts in advance of parliamentary and presidential elections over the next 18 months.‘  The Moscow Times looks at bloggers’ ‘emotional‘ responses to the news.  It is thought that, under the new Mayor, the Kremlin will change its tune regarding Strategy 31 protesters applying to hold regular gatherings in Triumfalnaya Square. ‘We are absolutely calm as regards such events […] For a democratic state this is an absolutely normal thing.‘  Floods in Krasnodar over the weekend killed 13 people, and a further 12 are missing as the region’s governor promised speedy compensation.  Russia would like to be able to take ‘joint decisions‘ with the EU on foreign policy, an issue being discussed today at a summit with France and Germany.