Here's an interesting story emanating from the so-called DNR (via Russia's TASS news agency):
The administration of the social network Facebook has blocked the page of Aleksandr Zakharchenko, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, the Donetsk republic's press-service said.
"A couple of hours ago I discovered that my page in Facebook is blocked for no apparent reason. It is noteworthy that the page went dead immediately after I published my message to the Ukrainian people on the occasion of the anniversary of Ukraine's liberation from Nazi invaders," Zakharchenko's press-service quotes him as saying.
"I believe that I managed to find the right words that drove the message home. They surely reached those whom I described as Nazi henchmen, their descendants and followers, in other words, advocates of Bandera and Shukhevich."
Zakharchenko said that in his message posted on Wednesday he did not use a single derogatory word or term, but Facebook's moderators received more than 2,500 complaints.
"My post allegedly harmed the feeling of their dignity and caused irreparable harm to their honor," he explained.
"The way I see it, this is clear evidence that Kiev is afraid of Donbass's opinion no less than it is afraid of its military strength," Zakharchenko said. "But the authorities in Kiev must have forgotten what the Donetsk people and their mentality are like. We will gain the upper hand in this media war."
In his message on the occasion of the liberation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from Nazi invasion Zakharchenko said that the Kiev regime's policy of glorifying Nazi collaborators in fact stripped the Ukrainians of a great holiday.
Here's some more from the Hollywood Reporter on the election of the Star Wars character Emperor Palpatine to Odesa City Council:
"...Palpatine Dmitry, a 25-year-old man whose job title at "LLC Palpatine Finance Group" is officially "Emperor," was elected with 54.4 percent of the vote to a seat on the Odessa City Council, according to a Facebook post by mayoral candidate Sasha Borovik. "This is beyond my understanding," Borovik wrote. "People, what is wrong with you?""
Good morning. Here's a Ukraine-related story that came in overnight:
The Wall Street Journal reported on October 28 that nations in NATO are discussing increasing the number of troops stationed along the Russian border.
One plan would place battalions in Poland and three Baltic states, while another would have a single NATO battalion in the area, according to the newspaper, which cited military and diplomatic sources.
Since Russia annexed Crimea from neighboring Ukraine last year, countries in the area have been concerned about its next move. The Russian military has also stepped up its exercises in the region, further heightening anxiety among its neighbors.
The move to consider stationing more troops along Russia's border comes as central and eastern European nations are pressing for a greater NATO presence in their region.
The Romanian presidency said on October 28 that Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia will use a November 4 NATO summit in Bucharest to call for measures to "strengthen the eastern border of NATO."
Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Wall Street Journal
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume again tomorrow morning, you can keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage here.