The basis for the idea that helicopters are accompanying the convoy appears to be this tweet:
Interfax quotes separatist "militia headquarters" as rejecting speculation that its fighters are encircled in Donetsk but acknowledging that pro-Kyiv forces are present north, south, and west of the city.
Having failed to take the towns of Shakhtarsk and Kraskiy Luch, the pro-Russian fighters said, the circle around Donetsk still eludes the Ukrainian forces.
Here's the Ukrainian version of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council's map of the military situation today. We'll add the English-language version as soon as it comes available.
The past two weeks have nearly doubled the number of deaths in the Ukraine conflict, Cecile Pouilly, spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told Reuters.
The death toll was at least 2,086 on August 10, compared to 1,129 on July 26.
As we noted earlier, another 5,000 have been wounded.
Pouilly said the figures corresponded to "a clear escalating trend."
She said the figures include Ukrainian soldiers, armed groups, pro-Russian militants, and civilians and are "very conservative estimates."
This appears to be part of the "camp" that was reportedly set up and then broken down this morning:
UPDATE: Putin has now arrived in Crimea to meet with his top security chiefs and address members of government and parliament traveling with him.