Situation on Mariupol is under control, more reinforcements of RF units near the city registered
— NSDC of Ukraine (@NSDC_ua) October 3, 2014
Warmly greet Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Day of German Unity and wish peace and prosperity.
— Петро Порошенко (@poroshenko) October 3, 2014
Yanukovich family & friends settling in near Moscow where Azarov has house, & St. Pete where Yanuk Jr. registered co. http://t.co/if4E370nhi
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) October 3, 2014
Map of how much land #Russians/"#separatists" have gained since "#ceasefire" with #Ukraine: http://t.co/lEVSByDhBP
— English EuroMaidan (@EuroMaidanEN) October 3, 2014
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