Spurned Over Ukraine Actions, Putin Exits G20 Summit Early
That concludes our live blogging for Saturday, November 15.
"Now I understand that life, as they say, is cheap. It's a really frightening thing. An ordinary person doesn't understand that. I didn't understand it myself. It's like you grow up, finish school, go to university, find work. You have children, build a house, earn a pension. And in reality, a person's life is nothing. Especially when people have machine guns and there's no law behind what they're doing."
You can read the entire interview with 22-year-old Serhiy Halyan and watch the video here:
Interview: Ukrainian 'Cyborg' Describes Nine Days Defending Donetsk Airport
Here's our latest summary of events in Brisbane, where President Putin had a bruising day at the hands of Western leaders over his actions in Ukraine:
As Criticism Mounts, Putin Camp Floats Early Exit From G20 Summit
Reuters wraps up several developments we've mentioned earlier today:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko issued several decrees on Saturday to shut state institutions and banking services in pro-Russian eastern regions, pressing a move to cut links with the rebel-held territory.
Ukraine has cut all state funding to separatist parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions after separatists held elections in late October which Poroshenko condemned as illegal and in violation of a ceasefire agreement made in September.
The rebels, in turn, say Ukraine violated the deal by moving to revoke a law granting the regions autonomy, putting an already fragile ceasefire in doubt.
A decree posted on the president's website said all state companies, institutions and organisations should end their work within a week and "evacuate workers, with their permission, (and) where possible remove property and documents".
The ruling, which formally asks parliament to revoke the "special status" of the regions, also suggests Ukraine's central bank take measures to close down all banking services in certain parts of separatist-held areas, including card operations.
AFP flash:
German embassy worker expelled from Moscow: diplomatic source