In case you missed it, Reuters' Richard Balmforth has written an interesting profile of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, which is well worth reading:
Ukraine's prime minister once said he and the emergency government which took power after pro-European protests in February were on a "suicide" mission, fated to take unpopular decisions that would cut short their political careers.
If that is so, it would seem Arseny Yatseniuk now has a permanent death wish.
Far from dodging the 'kamikaze' hot seat, the 40-year-old technocrat has used his party's surprise first place in last month's elections to outmanoeuvre rivals and get an assurance he will stay on as prime minister once horse-trading is completed.
And he seems to be relishing a growing reputation as a hawk in the bruising stand-off with Russia and separatists as he continues in a post he has occupied since the heady days of the "Euromaidan" winter revolution that ousted a pro-Russian leader.
On fighting form again on Wednesday, he announced a halt to payment of state funding to rebel-controlled areas in the east. "The money doesn't reach the people. It's stolen by Russian gangsters and essentially supports Russian terrorism," he said.
The strong showing of his People's Front in the Oct. 26 election means he and President Petro Poroshenko's party will easily muster a majority in parliament to steer policies they say should help settle the separatist conflict and align the war-wracked economy with European standards.
But there are many who warn already that the "odd couple" might self-destruct.
Yatseniuk's aggressive language, particularly when talking of Russia, has led people to see him as representing the 'party of war'.
That could prove a burden for the more diplomatic Poroshenko as he tries - against all the odds - to pursue a peace plan for the east. He is the one who has to shake hands with Russia's Vladimir Putin at international gatherings.
Then there is Ukraine's post-Soviet history - a tale of infighting, back-biting and intrigue that does not immediately suggest much prospect of joined-up government in the face of crisis.
Read the entire article here
Here is a map of today's military situation in eastern Ukraine according to Kyiv's National Security and Defense Council (click to enlarge):
The AP news agency is reporting a potentially big development:
SNIZHNE, Ukraine (AP) — Associated Press reporters have seen more than 80 unmarked military vehicles on the move in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, indicating that intensified hostilities may lie ahead.
Three separate columns were seen Saturday morning, one near the main separatist stronghold of Donetsk and two outside the town of Snizhne, 80 kilometers (50 miles) further east. The vehicles were mainly transportation trucks, some of them carrying small and large caliber artillery systems, and at least one armored personnel carrier.
Ukrainian officials said this week that they believe rebel forces have received substantial consignments of weaponry and manpower from Russia. Moscow denies such claims.
Despite a cease-fire being reached in September, Ukrainian and rebel troops engage on a regular basis, with some of the heaviest fighting focused on Donetsk airport.
According to our news desk, it seems Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott might have a chance to "shirtfront" Vladimir Putin pretty soon:
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said today that he will have a "robust" conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin about downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 when they meet at a Beijing summit.
The Kremlin confirmed yesterday that Putin has agreed to meet with Abbott, who has been promising since last month to confront the Russian leader about the deaths of Australians in the tragedy.
The meeting is expected on November 11 at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Putin's foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov says "it will be short."
Abbott said he will demand that Russia "be as good as its word, that it will fully cooperate with the investigations that are under way, and that it will do what it can to ensure that justice is done."
The plane was flying from Amsterdam to Malaysia when it was shot down over territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatist fighters.
(AFP, Interfax, TASS)