February 04, 2009. President Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch of All Russia Kirill in Kremlin
 

January 28, 2009. Metropolitan Kirill elected new Partiarch of All Russia. Pictured: Metropolitan Kirill (centre) accepts congratulation right after he was elected the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
 

January 20, 2009. Russian human rights advocate Stanislav Markelov was shot dead on Prechistenka street in the centere of Moscow. 34 years old lawyer was well known to conduct cases in Chechnya, defending Chechen citizens. Stanislav Markelov was the lawyer of the Kungayevs family , the family of the young Chechen woman Elza Kungayeva killed by russian army colonel Yuri Budanov in Chechnya . Pictured: Moscow, January 19 , 2009 ; crime scene of Stanislav Markelov murder in central Moscow. Investigators and criminals-experts at the crime scene near the body of Stanislav Markelov
 

January 20, 2009. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko takes orthodox tradition of Epiphany bathing in ice water in health centre near Kiev
 

January 20, 2009. President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Luis Maria de Puch visits Moscow . Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is interested in how does the Russian side fulfill the resolution `On consequences of war between Russia and Georgia` approved on the 2nd of October, 2008.
 

January 20, 2009. Russian human rights advocate Stanislav Markelov was shot on Prechistenka street in the center of Moscow. 34 years old lawyer was well known to conduct cases in Chechnya, defending Chechen citizens. Stanislav Markelov was the lawyer of the Kungayevs family , the family of the young Chechen woman Elza Kungayeva killed by russian army colonel Yuri Budanov in Chechnya . Pictured: Moscow, December 24, 2008 ; lawyer Stanislav Markelov at the Public Chamber of Russia hearings in Moscow.
 

January 19, 2009. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the press conference in Moscow
 

January 19, 2009. Koran reading contest in Kazan of Tatarstan. Qul Sharif Mosque of Kazan , Young Muslims compete in reading of the holy book of Islam, the Qur`an
 

January 16, 2009. Russian billionaire businessman (ex-KGB agent) Alexander Lebedev could soon be in control of London`s the Evening Standard daily newspaper. Alexander Lebedev is believed to negotiating to buy a 76% share of the paper. Pictured: billionaire Alexander Lebedev attends Fashion Show in Moscow
 

January 14, 2009. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev awards in Kremlin russian families having more than 4 children with a new state award `Paternal Glory Order`
 

January 12, 2009. Harvard University in Cambridge , Massachusetts, U.S. Harvard is a private university , was founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Pictured: bell tower of Lowell House
 

January 11, 2009. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the funeral ceremony for Patriarch Alexy II in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.
 

January 11, 2009. Spouse of Vladimir Putin (former russian president) , Ludmila Putina (l) and spouse of Dmitry Medvedev (current russian president) , Svetlana Medvedeva (r) at the funeral ceremony for Patriarch Alexy II in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.
 

January 11, 2009. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad at the Christmas Mass in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Metropolitan Kirill is the main candidate to be the next Patriarch of All-Russia (former Patriarch of All-Russia Alexy II died in December 2008 )
 

January 11, 2009. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (l) and his spouse, Svetlana Medvedeva (r), during Christmas Midnight Mass at Moscow`s Christ the Savior Cathedral