08:49
13.6.2014
LATEST from our news desk on the fighting in Mariupol:
Reports from Ukraine say government forces have encircled the rebel-held port city of Mariupol.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, writing on Facebook, said Ukrainian troops had launched a dawn attack on the city on June 13.
Rebel forces confirmed fighting was under way and said five separatists had been killed.
Avakov said key rebel fortifications had been taken over and sniper positions destroyed. He said two soldiers had been wounded.
The rebels said they had blown up an armored personnel carrier carrying government soldiers and that "many" had been injured.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, writing on Facebook, said Ukrainian troops had launched a dawn attack on the city on June 13.
Rebel forces confirmed fighting was under way and said five separatists had been killed.
Avakov said key rebel fortifications had been taken over and sniper positions destroyed. He said two soldiers had been wounded.
The rebels said they had blown up an armored personnel carrier carrying government soldiers and that "many" had been injured.
08:40
13.6.2014
08:35
13.6.2014
This video, said to have been shot on June 12 in Maiyivka, outside Donetsk, shows a short column of tanks with a Russian flag:
08:06
13.6.2014
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arseniy Avakov says that the "next pahse of the counterterror operation" is beginning in Mariupol:
08:04
13.6.2014
Good morning! To start the day, there are reports of something going on in the southern city of Mariupol today.
18:44
12.6.2014
This ends our live-blogging for June 12, be sure and check back in tomorrow.
17:59
12.6.2014
The Russian and Ukrainain presidents have discussed the current crisis on the phone, our news desk reports:
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin talked on the telephone with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko on June 12.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Poroshenko "informed Vladimir Putin about his plan to settle the situation in southeastern Ukraine."
Peskov added that the two leaders also discussed "issues of bilateral relations."
No further details were immediately available.
Earlier on June 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was getting "increasingly” concerned by the lack of “any progress whatsoever” in efforts to stop the violence in eastern Ukraine.
Lavrov called for an immediate investigation into the alleged use of "indiscriminatory weapons," such as incendiary bombs, by Ukrainian military forces.
Lavrov added that Russia is presenting to the United Nations Security Council a draft resolution on the situation in Ukraine that calls on the Ukrainian government to start implementing the OSCE road map for resolving the crisis. (Reuters, Interfax, and ITAR-TASS)
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Poroshenko "informed Vladimir Putin about his plan to settle the situation in southeastern Ukraine."
Peskov added that the two leaders also discussed "issues of bilateral relations."
No further details were immediately available.
Earlier on June 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was getting "increasingly” concerned by the lack of “any progress whatsoever” in efforts to stop the violence in eastern Ukraine.
Lavrov called for an immediate investigation into the alleged use of "indiscriminatory weapons," such as incendiary bombs, by Ukrainian military forces.
Lavrov added that Russia is presenting to the United Nations Security Council a draft resolution on the situation in Ukraine that calls on the Ukrainian government to start implementing the OSCE road map for resolving the crisis. (Reuters, Interfax, and ITAR-TASS)
17:36
12.6.2014
RFE/RL's news desk has issued this item on some more gas related developments:
Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom said on June 12 that it would lodge a counterclaim against Ukraine's gas firm if taken to court.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said yesterday that Kyiv was ready to take Gazprom to the Stockholm International Arbitration Court after Russia offered a price reduction of only 100 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters -- from $485 to $385.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that if Kyiv refused the offer, "we will move to quite another stage."
Gazprom chief Alexei Miller said on June 12 that "Gazprom would lodge a counterclaim against Ukraine's Naftogaz with the Stockholm arbitration court."
Miller also said Gazprom will halt supplies to Ukraine if it fails to pay off $1.95 billion of its gas debts by June 16.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said yesterday that Kyiv was ready to take Gazprom to the Stockholm International Arbitration Court after Russia offered a price reduction of only 100 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters -- from $485 to $385.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that if Kyiv refused the offer, "we will move to quite another stage."
Gazprom chief Alexei Miller said on June 12 that "Gazprom would lodge a counterclaim against Ukraine's Naftogaz with the Stockholm arbitration court."
Miller also said Gazprom will halt supplies to Ukraine if it fails to pay off $1.95 billion of its gas debts by June 16.
17:32
12.6.2014
Rebels said they got tanks from warehouse storage. #Russia #Ukraine
— Thomas Grove (@tggrove) June 12, 2014
17:31
12.6.2014
What is Poroshenko’s Plan for the future of #Ukraine? by @p_pieniazek http://t.co/tnmoJ2eHxg
— New Eastern Europe (@NewEastEurope) June 12, 2014