Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with this little news snippet from Russia:
Russia has decided not to ban Euronews over footage showing Ukrainian forces using an image depicting President Vladimir Putin as Adolf Hitler for target practice.
State communications regulator Roskomnadzor voiced the decision in a response to a query from pro-Kremlin lawmaker Mikhail Markelov, Russian media reported.
Markelov had said last month that there was "every reason" to open a criminal investigation and prohibit Euronews from broadcasting in Russia.
But Roskomnadzor said the target appears in the clip for only about five seconds and "it is not possible for the viewer to visually establish a .... likeness between the image on the target and the President of the Russian Federation," according to media reports.
"We have claims against Euronews," state-run news agency RIA Novosti quoted Roskomnadzor spokesman Vadim Amelonsky as saying.
(TASS, RIA Novosti, RBK)
We can't verify the provenance of this video, but this apparent footage of a pro-Russian separatist talking to journalists while under fire has been doing the rounds on social media. His reaction to a Grad missile landing nearby is quite something:
In #Crimea five ppl have "disappeared" since May,two on Sept 27. Three are Crimean Tatars,two pro-#Ukraine activists. http://t.co/FA1f1SgSNI
— Lotte Leicht (@LotteLeicht1) October 8, 2014
It seems Moscow's decision to bow out of the FLEX program could benefit some Ukrainians (from RFE/RL's news desk):
Russia's withdrawal from a 21-year-old U.S. high school exchange program will open more than 100 extra slots for students from Ukraine.
With ties severely strained by the Ukraine crisis, Russia told the United States last month that it would not participate in the 2015-2016 Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), which provides scholarships to students from 10 former Soviet republics.
The U.S. State Department's top official for European and Eurasian affairs, Victoria Nuland, said she is saddened by Russia's decision "to deny their own citizens the opportunity to study in the United States" and hopes Russia's participation will be restored "in the not-too-distant future."
"In the meantime, we will have more than 100 extra slots for Ukrainians," she said in a speech to students in Kyiv on October 7.
Those slots will bring the number available to Ukrainians to more than 300.
The rest of the nearly 240 slots currently occupied by Russians will go to Georgia, Moldova, and Armenia, according to "The New York Times."
Three civilians killed, another four wounded in #Donetsk http://t.co/YTThiON4kP
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) October 8, 2014
Second in command of DNR Purgin confirms Bezler will be leaving post as head of Horlivka forces - "he may take up role in military command"
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) October 7, 2014
Purgin also confirmed that Antyufeyev was back in Moscow. "He wasn't that important". Borodai now "essentially dnr rep in Moscow"
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) October 7, 2014
DNRs Purgin on ceasefire: "it's no truce but a pause. Think of it as a comma not a full stop"
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) October 7, 2014
UN Report: Protracted conflict in eastern #Ukraine continues to take heavy toll on civilians http://t.co/CBjkvyJawf
— UN in Ukraine (@UN_Ukraine) October 8, 2014
UN says 3,660 died in Eastern Ukraine since April. 330 have died since ceasefire in September. #Ukraine
— Gavin Hewitt (@BBCGavinHewitt) October 8, 2014
DNR leader Zakharchenko apparently resigns http://t.co/vU2QHSPC4p
— tom balmforth (@BalmforthTom) October 8, 2014
Here's an item from our news desk on the latest UN casualty figures for eastern Ukraine:
The United Nations says at least 331 deaths have been reported in eastern Ukraine since a cease-fire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists was agreed on September 5.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on October 8 that hostilities continue in Donetsk, one of two major cities held by the separatists, and around the towns of Debaltseve and Schastye.
It said at least 3,660 people have been killed and 8,756 wounded in eastern Ukraine since fighting began in mid-April.
Some of the 331 deaths reported since the September 5 cease-fire may have occurred before that date.
Fighting in Donetsk has focused mainly around the government-controlled airport, but nearby residential areas have been hit repeatedly by shells.
Rebel-controlled Donetsk city hall said on October 8 that three civilians were killed by shelling overnight.
(AP, Reuters, TASS)
Two men have caused a kerfuffle at a Czech government press conference today -- interrupting proceedings by stripping to the waist to reveal bodies painted with the colors of the Ukrainian flag and anti-Putin slogans. They also raised a flag with the EU and NATO symbols while calling on Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka not to be a "crony" for engineering companies doing business with Russia.
The pair were eventually led away peacefully by security staff. You can watch a video of the incident here.