Washington doesn't see why Russia is sending bombers near North America, our news desk reports:
The U.S. State Department says Russia’s plans to send long-range bombers on flight patrols near North America are unwarranted.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on November 13, "We don't think that there is a current situation in the western Atlantic [Ocean] and eastern Pacific [Ocean], or the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, that warrants additional flights in out-of-area territory."
Russia's TASS news agency quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying on November 12 that the patrols were aimed at securing Russia’s "military presence" in these areas.
Psaki said Washington had noticed a recent spike in Russian flights "near North America" but that they do not violate international law.
Shoigu’s statement came days after NATO reported a increase in Russian military flights in European airspace recently. (Reuters, AP and TASS)
A young woman tried to hang herself near Ukraine's embassy in Moscow, Interfax reports:
A young woman attempted to hang herself on the fence of the Ukrainian embassy in central Moscow on Thursday, a law enforcement source told Interfax.
A car pulled up near the Ukrainian Embassy at 18 Leontyevsky Pereulok Street on Thursday, from which a young woman exited and unfolded a banner demanding that Ukrainian authorities stop the military operation in the eastern part of the country.
After that, she produced a rope with two nooses, attached one of them to the embassy fence, put the other around her neck and tried to hang herself. However, a security guard prevented her from doing so, pulled her out of the noose and chased her away, the source said.
In about an hour, the same young woman returned to the embassy building, again attached a rope to the fence and tried to hang herself. Several seconds later, security guards pulled her out of the noose again.
After that, they called an ambulance, and doctors helped the woman come to her senses and then took her to a hospital, the source said.
The woman's life is not in danger, and she has to undergo a psychiatric examination.
This ends our live-blogging for November 13. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
British Prime Minister David Camera has warned Russia that its actions in eastern Ukraine are unacceptable and could result in additional sanctions from both the European Union and the United States.
Cameron made the remarks at a news conference in Australia, a day before the start of a G20 summit in Brisbane that is also to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Camera told reporters he hopes “that the Russians see some sense and recognize that they should allow Ukraine to develop as an independent and free country, free to make its choices."
The British prime minister said: "If Russia takes a positive approach towards the Ukraine's freedom and responsibility, we could see those sanctions removed.”
But he said that “if Russia continues to make matters worse, then we could see those sanctions increased. It is as simple as that."