Crimean Tatar leader nominated for EU's Sakharov Prize:
By RFE/RL
The European Parliament's largest political bloc will nominate Crimean Tatar politician Mustafa Dzhemilev for the 2016 Sakharov Prize.
The European People's Party will nominate Dzhemilev on September 14.
The European Conservatives and Reformists bloc -- consisting of Britain's Conservative Party and the Polish Law and Justice party nominated him a day earlier.
Dzhemilev is expected to be one of the three shortlisted candidates chosen by the European Parliament's foreign affairs and development committees vote on October 11. Members of the European Parliament will decide the winner on October 27.
Dzhemilev is a Ukrainian lawmaker and a well-known Soviet-era human rights activist.
Dzhemilev, a former chairman of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people who strongly opposed Crimea's occupation and annexation by Russia, is currently living in Kyiv.
The Sakharov Prize -- with a cash prize of 50,000 euros ($57,206) -- has been handed out since 1988 to honor individuals and organizations who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Not related to the conflict in the east, but this nice video report from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service is still worth a gander:
Sixty-Year-Old Ukrainian Volleyballer Returns To Paralympics
Ukraine has sent its largest-ever contingent of athletes to the Paralympic Games. With 155 Paralympians competing in 14 different disciplines in Rio de Janeiro, Ukraine hopes it can top its fourth-place finish at the 2012 London Paralympics. At age 60, Petro Ostrynskiy is his country's oldest Paralympian. Before heading to Rio, he and Ukraine's men's sitting volleyball team shared their hopes of bringing home a medal.
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
