A series of protests by Russian truckers has begun in regions throughout Russia. The truckers are protesting against the Platon road system, whereby tolls are collected for the use of federal roads.

As reported by the news site Meduza, drivers taking part in the protests line up their trucks along the roads. Protests have begun in the areas of St. Petersburg, Tatarstan, Primorye, Amur, as well as other regions.

Earlier, the Association of Carriers in Russia announced that no less than ten …

A Russian helicopter was shot down in the east of the Syrian Latakia province by members of the Ahrar al-Sham group, the Arab news outlet Al Masdar reports.

According to the publication, the helicopter was shot down by heavy machine gun fire from the region on the border with Turkey.

There is currently no information on the number of casualties or wounded. The Russian military is reportedly conducting an active search for the downed helicopter.

The Russian center for reconciliation of the …

The national company Naftogaz Ukraine is planning to hold negotiations with potential investors to create a public company “Ukraine Main Gas Pipelines” in the next three months, ZN.UA reports.

The article notes that the Italian company Snam, which is interested in importing Russian gas, is among the most realistic potential investors.

“According to ZN.UA’s information, the Slovaks are also interested in this. But the Italian company Snam is prepared to invest $2 billion in the Ukrainian gas …

TASS news agency reported that the Chechen military police have returned home from Syria. The battalion was in Aleppo for three months, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said.

"You carried out the protection of military facilities, ensured the safety of the peaceful population of Syria during humanitarian actions, supported public order in the streets and squares of Aleppo," the Head of the republic said at a rally in honor of the soldiers' return, and added that the Chechen military successfully …

The Canadian parliament has registered an electronic petition urging the government to begin deliveries of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

The petition lacks just 400 more signatures in order for to be submitted to the parliament for discussion, the report says.

On his Facebook page, Conservative Party deputy James Bezan called for signing the petition and sending a signal to the government.

"The fighting in Eastern Ukraine has increased in the battle against Russian-backed rebels. Ukraine needs …

Mikola Statkevich, one of the leaders of the Belarusian National Congress or BNK, has disappeared and has not contacted anyone since March 23, his wife, Marina Adamovich told Deutsche Welle.

Statkevich was supposed to be in Minsk near the Academy of Sciences for Freedom Day on Saturday, March 25. As the BNK organizer for the event, he had planned for a procession to start along the main avenue of the Belarusian capital but he never showed up.

"The last time I saw Mikola was on Thursday …

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano expressed his hope that the G7 summit, which will be held on May 26-27 in the city of Taormina in Sicily, would be followed by a meeting on the highest level but already in the G8 format.

"I hope that the summit in Taormina will be the last in the G7 format, and that the next one after Taormina will be held in the G8 format with the participation of Russia. This scenario, however, depends on Moscow's constructive and cooperative approach. We believe …

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree to demilitarize the unfinished Ukrayina missile cruiser which is stationed in the anchorage area of the 61 Communards Shipyard in Mykolaiv.

Vyacheslav Bonia, Deputy Head of Mykolaiv City Administration, made a statement to this effect at a staff meeting, Hronika.info reports.

At the staff meeting, Bonia told the workers how the authorities plan to deal with the matter of the salaries they are owed.

“You have the cruiser Ukrayina here, …