RFE/RL's news desk has a few more details on claims that Viktor Yanukovych has been made a Russian citizen:
A Ukrainian official says ex-President Viktor Yanukovych and other former top officials have obtained Russian citizenship.
Ukrainian Interior Minister's aide Anton Herashchenko wrote on Facebook on October 3 that President Vladimir Putin signed a "secret decree" granting Russian citizenship to Yanukovych, former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, ex-Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka, and members of their families.
Ukraine has launched criminal investigations against the three former top officials, accusing them of killing unarmed demonstrators.
The three fled Ukraine in the wake of antigovernment protests in late February.
Speaking to Ekho Moskvy radio on October 3, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Herashchenko's statement.
Officials at Russia's Federal Immigration Service also declined to comment.
(UNIAN, Ekho Moskvy, Interfax)
Donetsk airport still under attack, two more attacks repelled, Terrorists received reinforcements and heavy weapons
— NSDC of Ukraine (@NSDC_ua) October 3, 2014
2 Ukrainian servicemen killed in last 24 hours, 9 wounded in continuous attacks on the roadblocks and UA positions
— NSDC of Ukraine (@NSDC_ua) October 3, 2014
Here is a map of the miltary situation in eastern Ukraine today -- issued by Kyiv's National Security and Defense Council:
Here's another item from our news desk:
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said he is ready to send peacekeeping forces to neighboring Ukraine, where government troops have been battling pro-Russian separatists for six months.
In an interview with the Euronews television channel, excerpts of which were placed on the news outlet’s website on October 2, Lukashenka said, he would be prepared to send people in "if necessary."
"But for me this would be a very dangerous and terrible thing to put my own soldiers at risk..." he added. "If the U.S.A. and Russia mistrust each other, and there is mistrust between the warring parties, I would be putting my own armed forces in harm's way to separate the conflicting parties."
Lukashenka also said he proposed a peace plan months ago, which would have put Belarus peacekeeping troops on the ground, but it was rejected by all sides.
#Yatsenyuk: Official number of #Donbas displaced persons reached 350,000 http://t.co/91CjhZ3Bb9
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) October 3, 2014
There is no such a thing like ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine >>> see statement by @EUDelegationUA https://t.co/dG02UDlkpz
— Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (@JSaryuszWolski) October 2, 2014
.@KyivPost sits down with Patriarch Filaret, who compares Putin to Cain http://t.co/ukmS6jTeOP photo: @sia_vlasova pic.twitter.com/gFfFlMtaBa
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 3, 2014
Head Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate tells @KyivPost Putin like brother-murdering Cain http://t.co/FBEzzujdoz pic.twitter.com/E0zXlVEqJa
— Ian Bateson (@ianbateson) October 3, 2014
The Red Cross has issued this statement on the death of one of its workers in Donetsk:
Kiev/Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is deeply distressed by the killing of one of its staff, Laurent DuPasquier, in Donetsk today. The 38-year-old Swiss national, an administrator in the organization’s office in the city, was killed when a shell landed near the premises.
“We are deeply shocked by this tragic loss," said ICRC Director of Operations Dominik Stillhart. “We understand that there were other civilian casualties in Donetsk today. Indiscriminate shelling of residential areas is unacceptable and violates international humanitarian law.”
Mr DuPasquier worked for the ICRC for more than five years, carrying out assignments in Pakistan, Yemen, Haiti, Egypt and Papua New Guinea. He started his posting in Ukraine six weeks ago.
The ICRC currently has about 20 staff in Donetsk, including five expatriates of various nationalities. All other ICRC staff are now in safety.
The ICRC has been working in Ukraine since the onset of the crisis this year, supporting hospitals, helping displaced and vulnerable people, and restoring contact between family members separated by the conflict.
Thank you, @KyivPost! Foreign investors grill #Poroshenko over corruption, sale of seats http://t.co/orEVaapZuu
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) October 3, 2014