Here is today's situation map of eastern Ukraine by the National Security and Defense Council:
"Novorossia Factor: The National Anthem Song Contest," from "The Telegraph":
If you’ve always fancied yourself as a competitor in the Eurovision song contest, but never quite made the cut, this opportunity could be for you.
Novorossia, the break-away state established by Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine, is in search of a national anthem -- and it has launched a song contest to find one.
The move is just the latest in a series of initiatives launched by separatist leaders as they seek to turn the patch of territory into a functioning, recognisable state.
Read the full story here.
From a Newsweek piece titled "Ukrainian Intelligence Seize Arms Cache as They Uncover 'Russian' Plot to Attack Kiev":
Russian special forces plotted a series of armed attacks against Ukrainian cabinet ministers and several other targets in Ukraine’s capital city of Kiev this week, according to a spokesperson for Ukraine’s counter-intelligence services (SSU), after a weapons cache was uncovered.
The explosive allegations come ahead of parliamentary elections in Ukraine on Sunday, and a suspected assassination attempt on a parliamentary candidate on Monday.
The SSU seized weapons including portable air defence systems and rocket propelled grenade launchers believed to belong to the group behind the plot from a location in Kiev, according to a press statement on the service’s official website also featuring pictures of the equipment.
Read the full article here.
From Russia's Interfax news agency about the current situation in Donetsk:
Hostilities subsided in Donetsk last night and the city was quiet as of 9:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.
Public utility services are operating normally, says a report posted on the Donetsk City Council's website.
DTEK electricians resumed power supply to the Donetsk water
filtering station damaged in the hostilities on July 21. Voda Donbasa workers will now restore the water filtering station and water mains.
Public transportation service is good.
Meanwhile, the army operation press center reported last night's
militia attempt to storm the Donetsk airport tower and clashes in the area of Novolaspa.