Russia establishes 112 as single emergency number

Russia is merging all its emergency numbers into a single hotline, Russia Today reports on Tuesday.

People will no longer have to choose between five emergency numbers – the fire service , the police, the ambulance, the gas service, and the anti-terror service. Instead, Russians will dial 112 - a single hotline, just as 911 in the United States, the news agency informs.

The hotline will be launched in the biggest cities and nine regions of Russia by the end of the year.