"We know that such situations don't just happen in Russia. I am a guest here and it's uncomfortable for me to talk about this," said Putin when pressed by reporters.

But he then reeled off a list of casualty tolls and said that according to "our count", 11 people were killed in the French protests and 2,500 injured.

Several people lost their lives in traffic accidents linked to the protests. Putin did not give a source for the figures.

Notice how France24, which is French state media, casts doubt on the veracity of Putin's figures, despite it being 100% factual that he is correct.

But Macron was quick to respond, noting Putin's "concern" over the violence and insisting it was important to notice the difference between the two countries.

Ah, good, someone in the West is finally going to explain why there is no equivalence...

The French president said it was important in a democracy to respect principles such as "freedom of expression and opinion" and "the freedom to demonstrate and participate" freely in elections.

Ok...

"That was why France spoke out this summer... about the situation in Moscow," he said.

"In France, those who demonstrate are able freely to take part in elections. The yellow vests were free to participate in the European elections and will go to the local elections," he said, expressing hope that they would freely express themselves "in order to reduce conflict".

Right, same as Russian citizens in Russia.

"We are a country in which people can express themselves freely, demonstrate freely, express their views freely, but what we cannot accept is them causing damage and disturbing the public order."

Uhuh. Par for the course.

In Russia, local polls are seen as a rare opportunity for dissenting voices to participate in political life as anti-Kremlin parties have been squeezed out of parliament over Putin's two decades in power.

A Syrian military source said earlier that the Syrian Army had blocked the supply lines of the Jabhat al-Nusra*terrorist group's militants after establishing control over the Damascus-Aleppo highway.

Earlier in the day, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that Turkish armoured vehicles had entered the Syrian city of Saraqib in Idlib and were currently moving to Khan Sheikhoun, which is under the control of militants.

​The Syrian Armed Forces earlier took control of a checkpoint on the north-western border of Khan Sheikhoun, according to reports.

"Our convoy was targeted by an airstrike during a transfer to Turkey's ninth observatory point in Idlib. Three civilians were killed, and 12 more were injured. We condemn firmly this attack, contradicting agreements, cooperation and dialogue with Russia", the Defence Ministry said in a statement, as quoted by Anadolu news agency.

© syria.liveuamap.com
The situation in Idlib just prior to the taking of Khan-Sheikhun.

This morning Turkey sent (vid) a 29 truck convoy with five tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition and additional personal toward the observation post in Morek, south of Khan Shaykhun.

Before the convoy passed through Maarat al-Numan, 20 kilometers north of Khan Shaykhun, the Russian airforce bombed its path (vid). The leader of Faylq al-Sham, a 'Syrian rebel' group controlled by the Turkish intelligence service, was escorting the Turkish army convoy in a technical. He was killed. No Turkish soldiers were harmed. The convoy stopped and will have to return to Turkey. The tanks and the ammunition will not reach the jihadis in Khan Shaykhun.

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