Here's an English version of the latest situation map from Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, which appears to show substantial gains for the separatists:
Russia's state bodies are being checked for war readiness today on Putin's orders. More brinkmanship. http://t.co/MQpxHKA9y3
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) September 11, 2014
Andrei Babitsky from RFE/RL's Moldovan Service is in the Donetsk region and has sent us this news:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's offer of "special status" within Ukraine for the breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk is insufficient, says a senior figure in the separatist leadership in Donetsk.
Aleksandr Karaman, deputy prime minister of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, told RFE/RL on September 9 that the separatist government has decided that any negotiations with Kyiv must "be based on the principle of the sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic."
He said the people of the region have made their decision in favor of independence. "The point of no return has already been passed" and "too many people have died" to be able to talk about the region remaining within Ukraine, Karaman said.
Karaman added Donetsk rejects former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma as the negotiator for Kyiv, saying the negotiations must be held "on the basis of equality."
It seems the markets have already been reacting to the announcement of more EU sanctions (from RFE/RL's news desk):
The Russian ruble fell to a record low of 37.57 to the U.S. dollar on September 11, a day before new European Union sanctions against Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis are due to enter into force.
The EU sanctions will take effect on September 12 following their publication in the EU's official journal.
The new sanctions will broaden earlier penalties targeting Russia's oil and arms sectors, including a further tightening of access to international capital markets.
Curbing access to Western capital markets could weigh down Russia's already-flagging economic growth.
(AP, AFP, Interfax)
More on the Estonian security officer detained by Russia:
An Estonian Interior Ministry officer detained by Russian security services has reportedly been charged with espionage.
Eston Kohver’s lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said on September 11 that his client faces up to 20 years in prison.
Russia says Kohver was seized inside Russia on September 5, while Estonian officials say he was captured at gunpoint near the border and taken to Russia.
Estonia says the group of Russians who abducted Kohver used a smoke grenade and jammed radio communications.
Estonia's Foreign Ministry called the case "very disturbing" and summoned Russia's ambassador in Tallinn, Yury Merzlakov, for an explanation.
The U.S. State Department said on September 9 that Kohver should be "safely" and "immediately" returned to Estonia by Russian officials.
WATCH: Senior Separatist Insists On Sovereignty For Donetsk
Aleksandr Karaman, the deputy prime minister of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, says Kyiv's offer of a "special status" within Ukraine for the breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk is insufficient.
BREAKING: Obama unveils new sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.
More from our news desk on the U.S. sanctions:
U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States will announce fresh sanctions against Russia on September 12, citing the Kremlin’s “actions to further destabilize Ukraine over the last month.”
The measures targeting Russia’s financial, energy, and defense sectors “will increase Russia’s political isolation as well as the economic costs to Russia, especially in areas of importance to President Putin and those close to him,” Obama said in a September 11 statement.
The broadening of the sanctions are a response in part to “the presence of heavily armed Russian forces in eastern Ukraine,” Obama said.
Moscow has denied it is supporting pro-Russian separatists battling Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
“If Russia fully implements its commitments, these sanctions can be rolled back,” Obama said.
That ends the live blogging for today.