Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaking at a news conference in Moscow today, via Reuters:
"The cease-fire is largely holding up, although you are absolutely right, there are some incidences and both sides blame each other."
"We know, for example, that rebels and we, as a country that attested the agreement reached in Minsk on September 5, are both seriously concerned about yesterday's [September 8] messages about the concentration of heavy artillery in Debaltseve region. The artillery is on the side [controlled] by the Ukrainian forces and according to all indications assault troops are being prepared."
"As for the talks on the status of the southeast of the country, the protocol that was signed in Minsk makes provisions for such steps. We hope that these talks will start soon."
OSCE Representative on Freedom Dunja Mijatović today again expressed her concern about the intimidation of free voices in Crimea following the detention and interrogation of Yelizaveta Bohutskaya, a blogger and contributor to various media outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Crimean desk, in Simferopol.
“This detention is yet another example of the ongoing practice and attempts by the de-facto authorities in Crimea to silence critical voices. It is unacceptable and it poses a clear threat to free media in Crimea,” Mijatović said.
From our news desk:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says he hopes that talks would start soon on the status of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been waging an armed rebellion.
Lavrov, in comments on September 9, also claimed there was a "heavy concentration" of government forces in an area northeast of Donetsk and accused Kyiv of preparing a strike against the rebels despite a cease-fire.
The separatists are seeking independence for eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where they declared so-called "people's republics."
The Ukrainian government has promised greater autonomy to the mainly Russian-speaking region, but rules out independence.
The cease-fire, which took effect on September 5, appears generally to hold, despite violations reported by both sides.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said on September 6 that five Ukrainian servicemen have been killed during the cease-fire. (Reuters and ITAR-TASS)
Just in from our News Desk:
Malaysian Prime Minister Najif Tun Razak says a Dutch investigation suggests Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a ground-to-air missile on July 17 over eastern Ukraine.
Razak issued the statement after the Dutch Safety Board’s preliminary report on September 9 said the passenger plane was brought down by a large number of “high-energy objects” that penetrated the aircraft -- and that there were no indications the crash was caused by “technical faults” or "an error by the crew.”
All 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch citizens, died in the crash near the eastern Ukrainian town of Topez.
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine on September 9 repeated their claim they did not have weaponry capable of shooting down the plane -- despite reports that a Russian-supplied BUK missile launcher was deployed in separatist territory and fired a missile at the time of the crash.
Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, speaking today to reporters in Kyiv:
"The situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions remains tense. Rebels violate achieved agreements and in certain towns continue to shell positions of the antiterrorist forces. Ukrainian troops strictly abide by the cease-fire conditions and open fire only in response."
"The cease-fire allowed us to activate the process of the release of prisoners. Overall, according to information by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 648 people were freed, and the work is under way to free about 500 more prisoners."