Berlin talks produce no deal on holding local elections:
Talks between the foreign ministers of Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France have produced no deal on holding local elections in the eastern areas that are controlled by Russia-backed separatists.
"These are questions of detail that might appear small, but they are important for creating the basis for local elections in Ukraine," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after the May 11 meeting near Berlin.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin blamed Russia for rejecting a plan to let the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe oversee security for the vote.
Steinmeier also said that “significant progress" was made in the area of security, citing a plan to separate military units along the front line and to create demilitarized zones.
Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and separatists has killed more than 9,300 people since April 2014. The conflict has flared up in recent weeks, with numerous cease-fire violations reported. (AP, Interfax)
Russia launches 4th power line to Crimea:
Russia has launched a fourth and final line supplying electricity from the Russian mainland to annexed Crimea.
President Vladimir Putin oversaw the May 11 launch of the new line, saying in a video link from the Black Sea resort of Sochi, "We managed to break through the energy blockade of Crimea within a brief period of time."
The line brings Russia's electricity supply to Crimea to 800 megawatts a day, which Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak said will fully meet Crimea's needs.
The energy bridge is a series of undersea cables across the Kerch Strait located between Russia and Crimea.
Crimea continued to buy electricity from Kyiv after Russia forcibly annexed the peninsula in March 2014.
But Crimea was plunged into darkness in November, when unidentified individuals blew up power lines linking the peninsula to the Ukrainian grid.
Kyiv denied responsibility for the sabotage. (AP, Reuters, TASS, Interfax)
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (click to enlarge):
