LATEST: Ukraine's parliament and the European Parliament have ratified an Association Agreement meant to tighten political and economic ties between Kyiv and the EU.
LATEST: Ukraine's parliament has adopted a "special status" law giving limited self-rule to parts of THE eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions for three years, and separate legislation granting amnesty to participants in the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and government forces. (Interfax, UNIAN)
Russian security forces have raided the Crimean Tatar assembly and the home of one of its members. Ten police officers and six armed, masked men surrounded the Mejlis in Crimea's capital, Simferopol.
Crimean Tatar Mejlis Raided, Searched By Police
Here's today's map of the military situation in eastern Ukraine from the National Security and Defense Council:
Our Ukrainian Service reports from Crimea:
Russian security forces have raided the Crimean Tatar assembly and the home of one of its members.
Reporting from the site, an RFE/RL correspondent said 10 police officers and six armed, masked men in military uniform surrounded the Mejlis in Crimea's capital, Simferopol, and were not letting anyone enter or leave the building.
The Mejlis is the self-governing body of the Crimean Tatars, most of whom opposed Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March and many of whom boycotted local elections on September 14.
Police inside the building on September 16 were said to be searching the offices of the Crimean Tatar newspaper "Avdet" (Return).
Police also searched the home of Mejlis member Eskender Bariyev and confiscated his computers.
On September 15, three masked, armed men removed a Ukrainian national flag from the Mejlis building.
Latest from our news desk:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has proposed a bill to grant "special status" to eastern regions in an effort to end Kyiv's conflict with pro-Russian separatists.
Parliament on September 16 confirmed Poroshenko had submitted the bill.
It would give separatist-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions a measure of self-governance for three years and provide for early local elections, expected this year.
A separate bill granting amnesty from criminal prosecution to persons "who took part in the events in Donetsk and Luhansk regions" has also been submitted.
The bills are in keeping with a September 5 deal for a cease-fire steps to to end the conflict, which has killed more than 3,000 people since April.
Luhansk separatist leader Ihor Plotnitskiy said the bills provide "a chance" for a peace settlement but that questions remain. (Interfax and RIA Novosti)