Important to note that Russian authorities made a lot of arrests and threats in the runup to the mock "March for Federalizing Siberia" organized by Artyom Loskutov, a Novosibirsk artist, and others.
Here was our own Glenn Kates' story on the Russian authorities' nearly hysterical -- and seemingly hypocritical -- response to Artyom Loskutov's organization of today's "event."
Moscow Freaks Out About Federalization Rally...In Siberia
Right Sector tries to heap more pressure on Kyiv:
Here is the most telling of recent statements by the self-proclaimed prime minister of the "Donetsk People's Republic," Oleksandr Zakharchenko, speaking during a meeting on August 15 of that separatist group's "supreme council" in Donetsk, Ukraine. His remarks appeared in video published on August 16 via a YouTube channel of Novorossia TV, which is run by pro-Russian separatists, claiming the separatists have received weaponry and fighters from Russia.
"The following reserves have been accumulated lately: 150 pieces of military equipment consisting of about 30 tanks -- the rest are armored personnel carriers; 1,200 fighters who have undergone training on the territory of the Russian Federation over the course of the last four months. They have reached us at the most critical moment."
Here's today's situation map from the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council:
Adding to the maelstrom of conflicting information around the Russian convoy:
Meanwhile, there appear to be other pro-Russian convoys in and around eastern Ukraine, too.
Major breakthrough that could allow this first group of trucks -- which approached the border despite Red Cross suggesting it wouldn't be officially inspecting trucks today -- to pass into Ukraine. This is a bit of a dicey proposition.
Pro-Kyiv forces have retaken a police station in the beseiged city of Luhansk and raised the Ukrainian flag on the building, a spokesman said.
Luhansk is where some of the worst fighting has occurred, and has been a hotbed of insurrection from early in the unrest. Here's early video of the storming and occupation of the SBU (State Security Service) headquarters in Luhansk from April 6:
