Russia's state bodies are being checked for war readiness today on Putin's orders. More brinkmanship. http://t.co/MQpxHKA9y3
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) September 11, 2014
Here's an English version of the latest situation map from Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, which appears to show substantial gains for the separatists:
And here are some more details from our news desk about the latest raft of EU sanctions:
European Union officials have told RFE/RL that new sanctions against Russia for its role in the conflict in Ukraine will go into effect tomorrow.
They will take effect when published in the European Union’s "Official Journal."
The sanctions include a ban on financing and loans from EU countries to major Russian energy firms such as Rosneft, Transneft, and Gazprom Neft.
The measures were agreed by EU leaders on the sidelines of a NATO summit on September 5 and formally approved in Brussels on September 8.
But publication of the decision was delayed to allow time to assess the implementation of a cease-fire agreement in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv and pro-Russian separatists.
Meanwhile, Poland says Russian natural gas deliveries have dropped by 45 percent since September 8, when Russia’s Foreign Ministry threatened an unspecified "reaction" to more sanctions.
Ukraine's growing PR-disaster: neo-Nazi military battalions http://t.co/PKxiJVsdv5 pic.twitter.com/FG3lmr2kmF
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) September 11, 2014
As international journalists arrive for YES conference, authorities are evacuating eastern part of Kiev due to mercury leak @InfoResist
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) September 11, 2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak says European Union officials have told him that a new round of sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine conflict will go into effect tomorrow. The sanctions, which include a ban on financing and loans from EU countries to major Russian energy firms, will take effect when they are published in the European Union’s “Official Journal.”
Here is another gas-related update from RFE/RL's news desk:
Poland's gas monopoly says Russian natural-gas deliveries have dropped by 45 percent in recent days amid heightened tensions between Russia and the EU over the Ukraine crisis.
The company, PGNiG, said today that volumes began dropping on September 9.
Germany and Slovakia have reported less dramatic reductions in deliveries from Russia.
Russia's state-controlled Gazprom company has denied that it has reduced supplies.
Ukraine's gas monopoly, the state-owned Naftogaz, has accused Gazprom of reducing volumes in order to stop "reverse flows" to Ukraine.
Poland and other EU countries began selling some of their Russian gas in so-called "reverse flows" to Ukraine, after Gazprom cut off deliveries to Kyiv in a politically charged pricing dispute earlier this year.
Poland's pipeline operator Gaz-System said the reduction in supplies from Russia had forced it temporarily to stop re-exporting gas to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Gazprom says its net profit in the first quarter of 2014 has fallen substantially, partly because of Ukraine's unpaid gas debt.
The company said today that its profits in the January-March period fell 41 percent compared to the same period in 2013.
It said that, although its gas sales increased, its expenses went up because it had to account for some 71.3 billion rubles ($1.9 billion) in "doubtful trade accounts."
Gazprom said these accounts are mainly a result of debts owed by Ukraine's Naftogaz.
Ukraine normally received about half of its natural gas from Russia before Gazprom cut off its supply in June as a result of the pricing dispute.
Moscow and Kyiv also disagree on the amount of Ukraine's debt to Gazprom.
(AP, AFP, MarketWatch)
Strelkov: "April opportunities lost bc of Russia's 5th column. Liberals made suicidal interventions criticising decisions of our President"
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) September 11, 2014
Strelkov ends his press conference saying, "if I were God, I could answer your question" (When will war end?)
— Thomas Grove (@tggrove) September 11, 2014
. @MarkGaleotti lays out the four "founding principles" of Putin's geopolitical strategy: http://t.co/byL7SRRCI0
— Robert Coalson (@CoalsonR) September 11, 2014