On Wednesday, Moscow authorities gave official permission for an opposition rally to take place in the city center on Saturday, March 2.

The authorities in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk are going to erect a monument to commemorate the meteorite that hit the Urals region on February 15.

On Monday, February 25, Russian President has signed into law a harsh ban on smoking in public places.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) has submitted a bill imposing fines of up to 50,000 rubles (about $1,700) on officials for using foreign words that have Russian equivalents in public speeches.

The Ten Commandments Party - a secular movement which seeks to establish religious ethical principles in the society - is expected to be registered in Russia.

The Moscow regional government will have moved to Krasnogorsk until 1 July 2013.

Two governmental quarters are probably to appear in Moscow, one of them is to be built in the "New Moscow", the other one will find its place in the historical centre.

The head of the FIDE chess federation and former president of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, plans to launch the international chess party to promote chess and unite other political movements.

Several top officials in Parliament and Kremlin have rejected the possibility of a return of the death penalty in Russia after Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said in an interview that he saw nothing wrong in it.

On Tuesday, Russia's lower house of parliament approved in the third and final reading a bill banning smoking in public places.