Russia's President Vladimir Putin told the premier that the proposals Mikhail Fradkov submitted to him Friday to restructure the government in the spring should not be rushed
* Vladimir Putin said he has signed a decree setting up an agency to oversee the procurement of weaponry and other equipment, and to ensure a coordinated pricing policy in the sector
* Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said:
- Delays in signing a new Russia-EU cooperation agreement were "artificial"
- Sanctions could be used by Energy Charter members against countries that hamper the transit of Russian energy resources to Europe
- Russia considers the formation of supranational bodies to regulate international energy cooperation to be unnecessary
* Ukraine could discuss Russia's possible involvement in the construction of a 234-kilometer (150-mile) natural gas pipeline linking Western Ukraine to neighboring Slovakia as part of a mooted gas consortium, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said
* Metals giant Norilsk Nickel said it intends to create an energy holding before the end of the year
* Russia intends to establish at least three shipbuilding holdings, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said
* Russia has imposed a temporary ban on poultry imports from Britain following a bird flu outbreak, the agricultural watchdog said
* Alexei Mordashov has quit the car business, selling a 49.3% stake in Severstal-Avto to its general director, Vadim Shvetsov
* Russian and Georgian aviation authorities have begun talks on the possibility of restoring air links, suspended following a diplomatic row last fall, the Russian transport ministry said
* One woman was killed and at least 19 people injured in the crash of a bus carrying Russian tourists in Italy, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said
* In Ukraine:
- President Viktor Yushchenko submitted to parliament Volodymyr Ohryzko's candidacy for foreign minister, the presidential press service said
- President Viktor Yushchenko said he has filed an appeal against the law governing Cabinet appointments and substantially cutting presidential powers in the Constitutional Court
- President Viktor Yushchenko criticized the country's governing coalition for failing to abide by a national unity pact that key political forces signed last August to end a long-running government crisis
- Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych dismissed appeals Monday to sack the parliamentary speaker, saying this would destabilize the country
* In Belarus:
- Belarus plans to start building its first nuclear power plant in 2008, the National Academy of Sciences said
- Belarus will increase tariffs for transit of Russian oil through its domestic pipeline network by more than 30% on average starting February 15, the country's economics ministry said
