More than 70 people were sickened after gas was released today in a St Petersburg chain store and boxes with glass containers attached to wires were found in three other outlets of the same store.

An influential Russian governor seen as being close to President Vladimir Putin today called for Vladimir Lenin’s body to be removed from its Red Square mausoleum and buried, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

Angry pensioners demanding that their social security benefits be restored staged a second day of protests in President Vladimir Putin’s home city, joining the call from protesters in other cities for him to resign.