Latest Levada poll: 42% of Russians believe reports that Russian soldiers have been killed fighting in Ukraine, 31% don't believe them.
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) September 29, 2014
"Kyiv Post" correspondent Ian Bateson has been writing for Russia Magazine about life under an uneasy cease-fire in Donetsk:
During a rain storm in Donetsk it is forgivable to mistake the booming of artillery for thunder. It is the regularity and the repetition that gives it away.
Despite a ceasefire deal signed to much fanfare by Ukrainian President Poroshenko and the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the fighting in eastern Ukraine hasn’t stopped. In Donetsk there is both incoming and outgoing artillery, but the pace of the exchanges, at least, has slowed considerably.
Amidst those booms Donetsk is a city trying to find a new rhythm. The vast majority of businesses and shops are closed, it is next to impossible to take out cash from an ATM or bank, and windows everywhere are crossed with the clear tape Xs meant to keep them from shattering when the next boom, one closer, goes off. But, amidst all of that people are trickling back into the city.
The return of some of Donetsk’s former residents is less of a vote of confidence in the city than an attempt to size it up. Though many have fled across the Russian border or deeper into Ukraine with no intention of coming back, others instead extended their already planned summer holidays, taking their kids out of the city to wait things out before deciding. Now those people are coming back to inspect their homes and businesses and see if they can get by in DNR Donetsk.
Read the entire article here
Good piece RT @agatapyzik: My piece why Soviet memorials have nowt to do w Putin http://t.co/0OoVdgK8hO
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) September 29, 2014
Voice of America: 12 dead as rebels defy eastern #Ukraine cease-fire http://t.co/1w2bYUo7s9
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) September 29, 2014
It's telling th the ones most vocal in condemning the Lenin toppling come fr the country where Dzerzhinski's statue was recently reinstalled
— Evgen Vorobiov (@vorobyov) September 29, 2014
Apparently. "Hunter" does "not appear homesick but misses his favourite burgers."
Reuters found that American from the video fighting for the eastern Ukraine rebels. @KyivPost http://t.co/Q9eoldV9e8 pic.twitter.com/B9udk3f7rC
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) September 29, 2014
This in from our News Desk:
The Russian ruble fell to new record low against the dollar and sank against the euro in trading on the Moscow Exchange today.
The dollar gained 32 kopecks against the ruble to a record high of 39.50 rubles to the dollar as of late this morning Moscow time, while the euro went over the 50-ruble mark to 50.13 rubles to the euro.
The new record low against the dollar comes on the heels of steep ruble declines on September 26.
The Russian Central Bank has said it is very close to intervening to support the ruble against the dollar and the euro.
Meanwhile, shares of the Russian company Sistema fell by 10 percent today on the Moscow Stock Exchange.
Sistema is owned by billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who is under house arrest on corruption charges.