Three civilians killed, another four wounded in #Donetsk http://t.co/YTThiON4kP
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) October 8, 2014
It seems Moscow's decision to bow out of the FLEX program could benefit some Ukrainians (from RFE/RL's news desk):
Russia's withdrawal from a 21-year-old U.S. high school exchange program will open more than 100 extra slots for students from Ukraine.
With ties severely strained by the Ukraine crisis, Russia told the United States last month that it would not participate in the 2015-2016 Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), which provides scholarships to students from 10 former Soviet republics.
The U.S. State Department's top official for European and Eurasian affairs, Victoria Nuland, said she is saddened by Russia's decision "to deny their own citizens the opportunity to study in the United States" and hopes Russia's participation will be restored "in the not-too-distant future."
"In the meantime, we will have more than 100 extra slots for Ukrainians," she said in a speech to students in Kyiv on October 7.
Those slots will bring the number available to Ukrainians to more than 300.
The rest of the nearly 240 slots currently occupied by Russians will go to Georgia, Moldova, and Armenia, according to "The New York Times."
In #Crimea five ppl have "disappeared" since May,two on Sept 27. Three are Crimean Tatars,two pro-#Ukraine activists. http://t.co/FA1f1SgSNI
— Lotte Leicht (@LotteLeicht1) October 8, 2014
We can't verify the provenance of this video, but this apparent footage of a pro-Russian separatist talking to journalists while under fire has been doing the rounds on social media. His reaction to a Grad missile landing nearby is quite something:
Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with this little news snippet from Russia:
Russia has decided not to ban Euronews over footage showing Ukrainian forces using an image depicting President Vladimir Putin as Adolf Hitler for target practice.
State communications regulator Roskomnadzor voiced the decision in a response to a query from pro-Kremlin lawmaker Mikhail Markelov, Russian media reported.
Markelov had said last month that there was "every reason" to open a criminal investigation and prohibit Euronews from broadcasting in Russia.
But Roskomnadzor said the target appears in the clip for only about five seconds and "it is not possible for the viewer to visually establish a .... likeness between the image on the target and the President of the Russian Federation," according to media reports.
"We have claims against Euronews," state-run news agency RIA Novosti quoted Roskomnadzor spokesman Vadim Amelonsky as saying.
(TASS, RIA Novosti, RBK)
We are now closing the live blog for today, but you can still keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage here
Are the Kremlin Hardliners Winning? - Institute of Modern Russia http://t.co/NBHD6SZoNQ
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) October 7, 2014
This short report has been filed by the Crimean Desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
A Crimean Tatar man who was found dead on the annexed peninsula has been buried today in his native town of Saky.
Edem Asanov, 25, was found hanged in the city of Yevpatoria on October 6 after being missing for days. Crimea's Moscow-backed officials say he must have committed suicide.
The wife of the Crimean Tatars' veteran leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, Safinar Dzhemileva, who attended the funeral, told RFE/RL that she did not believe Asanov took his own life.
"We are now hostages here," Dzhemileva said. "They [Russia-backed officials] treat us as prisoners and nobody is held accountable."
The majority of Crimean Tatars, Crimea's Turkic-speaking Muslim native people, have opposed Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in March.
Several Tatars have been abducted in recent weeks and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The hottest spot in the East right now- #Donetsk airport.UA army is still holding the position. 07.10 AP pic.twitter.com/FZhauVuFSB”
— Kateryna_Kruk (@Kateryna_Kruk) October 7, 2014
For Putin's bday, this Ukrainian fan wearing a mask of the Russian leader ran through a stadium in his underpants https://t.co/ZrjGg2ws2J
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) October 7, 2014