Washington reiterates support for Crimea as part of Ukraine:
The United States reiterated on March 16 that it won’t recognize Russia’s “attempted annexation.”
In a statement, State Department Jen Psaki said that "sanctions related to Crimea will remain in place as long as the occupation continues."
"Over the last year, the human rights situation in Crimea has deteriorated dramatically, with mounting repression of minority communities and faiths, in particular Crimean Tatars, and systematic denial of fundamental freedoms," she added.
And in a meeting with Ukraine's Finance Minister Natalia Jaresko in Washington, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said the United States would be ready to "increase the costs" to Russia if it fails to comply with the terms of cease-fire agreement.
Russia, separatists criticize Ukraine bill on autonomy:
Russia and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have criticized a Ukrainian draft law granting the rebel-held areas special status.
Denis Pushilin, a separatist leader in the Donetsk region, described the bill as "a crude violation" of the cease-fire deal reached in Minsk last month.
Russia said the bill raised "serious" concerns.
"The way things have developed shows that the Ukrainian leadership has chosen the course of rejecting key principles of the Minsk process," the Foreign Ministry said.
The text of the bill says rebel-held areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions will be granted their special status after holding elections in accordance with Ukrainian law and under international observation.
It states that armed groups and weapons would also have to disarm or leave Ukraine.
Ukrainian parliament speaker Volodymyr Hroysman said lawmakers would vote in the coming week on the draft law. (Interfax, AFP)
Were celebrations in Crimea a damp squib?
This ends our live-blogging for March 16. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
In December, the Baltic Times reported Kohver's detention had been extended yet again:
On Monday, a court in Moscow ruled that the KaPo (Estonian Security Police) official Eston Kohver would remain in custody until at least April 5 next year, Public Broadcasting reports.
Estonian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariann Sudakov told the ERR news portal that the Estonian consul asked for participation in the court hearing, but was denied access.
Tomorrow, an Estonian doctor will meet with Kohver at Lefortovo Prison. The Estonian consul will also be present at the meeting.
"The abduction of Eston Kohver from Estonian territory and his subsequent detention in Russia are violations of international law," said Sudakov.
KaPo official Eston Kohver was abducted at gunpoint on September 5 near the Russian border in south-eastern Estonia. He was fulfilling his official duties, when unknown persons came from Russia and forced him across the border. Kohver is being detained in prison in Moscow, accused of espionage.