Spending by Russian companies on lobbying in the US declined by 34% in the first half of 2017, RBC reports, citing data from the US Senate’s lobbying disclosure base.

Total spending for this period amounted to $470,000, although $715,000 was spent in the first half of 2016; nearly $1.5 million was spent over the entirety of year prior.

At the same time, the number of Russian companies registered in the US as lobbyists increased from five to seven.

Thus, in July, an American subsidiary of …

Rome officially does not recognize the "annexation of the Crimea" and supports the integrity of Ukraine; however, the statement of Italian Ambassador to Russia Cesare Ragaglini contradicts the position of the Italian government.

This was noted in a statement by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Italy Yevhen Perelygin, which was distributed by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine.

"Ragaglini stressed that" Crimea was not the first country to vote for its independence …

Five Ukrainian TV channels will start broadcasting to annexed Crimea on Ukraine’s Independence Day – August 24, Serhiy Kostinsky, a member of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council, told Krym.Realii.

“The National Council is supposed to issue licenses – this is a technical process. All of the necessary equipment for organizing digital TV broadcasting to Crimean territory has already been established, and is waiting for the broadcasters.

Preparing the licenses will take some …