Here is today's situation map of eastern Ukraine by the National Security and Defense Council:
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
A Ukrainian security adviser says there is no point in holding new peace talks with pro-Russian separatists until Kyiv is satisfied that the rebels holding territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are adhering to a truce deal signed on September 5 in Minsk.
Markian Lubkivskiy, an adviser to the chairman of Ukraine's Security Service, said on 1+1 television on November 13 that "there will be no 'Minsk-2', as we have 'Minsk-1' agreements which Ukraine is implementing and the terrorists are not."
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry representative, Dmytro Kuleba, said in the same televised program that Kyiv will continue talks but only on implementation of existing agreements.
Hundreds of combatants and civilians have been killed since the September 5 cease-fire, with each side blaming the other.
Kyiv says that November 2 elections in the rebel-held regions violated the truce deal, which also incuded other steps toward peace and was signed by Russia.
Russia denies allegations from Kyiv and the West that it has sent troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine, despite sightings of unmarked convoys on rebel-held territory in recent days.
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Russian President Vladimir Putin says economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union, the United States, and other countries over the Ukraine crisis go against Group of 20 (G20) principles and international law.
Putin told TASS in an interview published on November 14 that the asset freezes, visa bans, and blocks put on Russian companies trying to access Western financial markets could only be imposed by the United Nations.
He acknowledged the sanctions and low oil prices have hurt the Russian economy but said the Kremlin's cash reserves are large enough to handle any economic crisis and meet "social commitments" domestically.
Putin's comments come one day ahead of the G20 summit in Australia, but he said it "makes no sense" to discuss the sanctions at that venue.
The summit follows fresh allegations of Russian military incursions into Ukraine.
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders will be in the spotlight during a G20 summit in the Australian city of Brisbane.
Australia has said the November 15-16 summit of the Group of 20 major economies would concentrate on promoting job creation, identifying tax cheats, and strengthening the global economy.
But it comes amid rising tensions over the conflict in eastern Ukraine following fresh reports of Russian weapons and troops crossing the border.
Moscow denies it has sent military support to aid pro-Russian separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 4,000 people since April.
Russian-Australian relations have been strained over the downing in July of a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet in eastern Ukraine.
Thirty-eight Australians were among the 298 people who died when the plane was shot down by what Western governments believe was a Russian-supplied missile fired by the rebels.
From AFP:
Russia on Friday warned France of "serious" consequences unless Paris delivers by the end of this month a Mistral-class assault warship whose handover has been delayed by concerns over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis, a report said.
"We are preparing for different scenarios. We are waiting until the end of the month, then we will lodge serious claims," the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted an anonymous high-ranking Moscow source as saying.
The first of two mammoth Mistral helicopter carriers was supposed to be delivered on Friday according to the original deal signed in 2011 and worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.5 billion) for both vessels.
Russia's state-run arms dealer had been widely expected to attend a ceremony on Friday for the hand-over.
But amid this year's Ukraine crisis and the rapid decline in the West's relations with Russia, France has come under intense pressure from its allies, particularly the United States, and in September postponed the delivery.
The Moscow soure said on Friday experts were currently gauging the damage sustained by Russia and it would be made public.
"This amount will not be secret," the source was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
The Dutch government says two Dutch F16 fighter jets intercepted a Russian Ilyushin transport plane after it flew into international airspace north of Estonian and Lithuanian without giving a flight plan.
The Dutch jets were part of a NATO force patrolling the skies above the Baltic states as part of a presence beefed up since the Ukraine crisis erupted earlier this year.
The Dutch government says that after the interception on November 12, the Ilyushin-76 flew off in the direction of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which is sandwiched between NATO member states Poland and Lithuania.
Meanwhile, in response to Moscow’s increased military activity in the region, the defense ministers of Britain, the three Baltic states, and four Nordic countries agreed on November 13 to increase intelligence and air force cooperation.
The Nordic countries involved are NATO members Norway and Denmark and neutral Finland and Sweden.
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
British Prime Minister David Camera has warned Russia that its actions in eastern Ukraine are unacceptable and could result in additional sanctions from both the European Union and the United States.
Cameron made the remarks at a news conference in Australia, a day before the start of a G20 summit in Brisbane that is also to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Camera told reporters he hopes “that the Russians see some sense and recognize that they should allow Ukraine to develop as an independent and free country, free to make its choices."
The British prime minister said: "If Russia takes a positive approach towards the Ukraine's freedom and responsibility, we could see those sanctions removed.”
But he said that “if Russia continues to make matters worse, then we could see those sanctions increased. It is as simple as that."