Below is a round-up of coverage and comment in the Georgian and Russian media on the death in the UK of exiled Georgian billionaire and leading opposition figure Badri Patarkatsishvili. Mr Patarkatsishvili died suddenly at his home south of London on 12 February.

By Gerri Peev A BILLIONAIRE Georgian dissident who was found dead outside his Surrey mansion feared he would be killed by his political enemies. Police are treating as "suspicious" the death of Badri Patarkatsishvili, 52, whose body was discovered on Tuesday.

Text of report by Gazprom-owned, editorially independent Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy on 14 January [Presenter] There has been a new development in the scandal connected with the British Council branches in Russia.

The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Tuesday, Dec. 4: Russia's 16-year experiment with Western-style democracy appears to have ended Sunday. In its place comes a peculiar hybrid of democracy and autocracy, seasoned with a serious dash of Stalin-era personality cult.

By Will Stewart VLADIMIR Putin dramatically strengthened his grip on power yesterday as his party won a landslide election victory. Critics denounced the parliamentary poll, saying there had been a return to Sovietera vote-rigging.