* The head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council said a sharp rise in Russian natural gas prices could damage bilateral relations
* The Russian government approved the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015
* Norwegian authorities said Russian fishing boats detained in Norwegian territorial waters could be released if their owners posted bail, but the situation remained unclear due to legal complications
* Russian Vitaly Kaloyev, charged with the murder of a Swiss air traffic controller on duty during the 2002 airplane collision over Germany that killed his wife and children, pleaded not guilty in a Zurich court
* Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko said non-residents of Russia would be able to freely buy shares in the world's largest natural gas company Gazprom
* Twelve shareholders in Russian embattled oil major Yukos filed a lawsuit against the Russian government and oil and gas companies with a U.S. court
* The Moscow attorneys for former Yukos chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky met with their client to discuss issues concerning his supervisory appeal
* The Latvian justice minister recalled controversial "loyalty" amendments to the law on citizenship
* A Russian health official said Russia had a bird flu vaccine, but it had yet to be tested
