President Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in has begun. We'll post updates to this thread as we see them. 
2/ This year sees a new format, with Putin calling governors during the phone-in to instruct them to respond to complaints he receives.
3/ Putin takes a question from a man driving a truck
4/ President Putin says recent petrol price rises are "unacceptable", and blamed them on lax government regulation and the actions of oil companies.
5/ Live ticker shows a question asking "Why wasn't Alexei Navalny registered as a presidential candidate?". The question was not put to the president #PutinDirect2018
6/ President Putin has accused the US of effectively imposing sanctions on its Western allies with its new tariffs on European steel and aluminium imports.
Asked what is the best joke he's heard recently, Putin says: "that President Trump is pushing Europe into the arms of Putin" and "how Russia influenced the election in the US"
Putin says recent restrictions imposed on Russian businessmen by the West amount to "persecution" and advised Russians to keep their assets in Russia.
TV host Kirill Kleymyonov asks Putin "What advice from your father would you pass on to your grandchildren?" The answer - "Not to lie,"
Putin says there are no plans to withdraw remaining Russian troops from Syria. "They will stay there as long as it is beneficial for Russia".
...and it's all over. Clocking in at 4 hours 26 minutes. #PutinDirect2018
