Given the previous suggestion by Russian authorities that Nemtsov's killing might have been perpetrated by Ukrainian agents, and speculation that it might have been connected to damning evidence he claimed to possess of direct Russian involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, we'll post this breaking story here:
Two 'Caucasus' Men Detained 'On Suspicion Of Committing' Nemtsov Killing
Comments from a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine last night:
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman: "Eastern Ukraine still appears to be in limbo as we await full implementation of the Minsk package of measures. The road ahead will be difficult but it is critical that all concerned strictly adhere to and commence good faith implementation of this agreement."
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic: "After over 6,000 killed, one million displaced, hundreds of thousands of refugees, continuing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, the conflict has still not reached the point of no return. However, the window of opportunity seems to be rapidly closing, we simply cannot afford to let this happen."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announces the signing of legislation authorizing compensation to police officers killed or injured while "defending the territorial integrity" of Ukraine, or to their families.
Bernard Henri-Levy arguing for A Marshall Plan For Ukraine in The Kyiv Post today:
...[F]or the next 200 days you will be called upon to make proposals and suggestions about Ukraine's finances, to be sure, but also about public health, about strengthening the rule of law, and about fighting the open wound, the leprosy, that is corruption.
In the course of the task that awaits you, you will encounter eternal defeatists and professional cynics.
You will encounter those who go around saying that Ukraine is a leaky barrel that is not worth your effort.
You will encounter those who think that history and geography are destiny and fate and that Ukraine belongs almost by natural law in the Russian sphere of influence.
Do not let yourselves be intimidated.
For when your recommendations—followed in 200 days by the Marshall Plan of my dreams—see the light of day, the entire history of this region will be changed.
And you will have written a new page of the history not only of Ukraine but of Europe.
We'll conclude today's live blogging with the latest Power Vertical Podcast, in which our own Brian Whitmore talks about the Nemtsov murder with Mark Galeotti and Sean Guillory.
In Whitmore's words, while we don't know who killed Nemtsov, who we think ordered the assassination and why says a lot about how we view Vladimir Putin's regime.
The focus is not broadly Ukraine, but analysis of events in Ukraine, their effect on developments inside Russia, and Russia on a war footing arises at the 20-minute mark, and is worth listening to for Ukraine watchers.
Podcast: Anatomy Of An Assassination
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking at a news conference in Kyiv today:
"There is not a military solution to what is happening in eastern Ukraine. There has to be a diplomatic resolution. And so on one level, the provision of weapons is not the way to get to a solution. Unfortunately, however, the only people who seem to believe that there is a military solution to eastern Ukraine are the Russians and the separatists. And they need to be disabused of that notion. So we will continue to look for ways to disabuse them of that notion and to advance a diplomatic solution."