Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
Here's a Crimea-related item from RFE/RL's Belarusian Service:
Pro-Russian Leader Of Belarus Community In Crimea Arrested
A leader of the tiny Belarusian community in Crimea, who is known for his pro-Russia stance, has been detained on fraud and bribery charges.
Writing on Facebook on February 16, Yauhen Suprunyuk says he was arrested on January 26 in the Crimean capital, Simferopol, on "trumped-up charges."
Suprunyuk said he is surprised that he and his associates, "who faced persecution by Ukrainian authorities" for their political activities aimed at uniting Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, are being persecuted by Russian authorities.
Suprunyuk's wife, Aliye Suprunyuk, told RFE/RL that her husband's pretrial arrest had been extended on February 16. She declined to give any other details.
Suprunyuk, who is the chairman of the local NGO, Regional Belarusian National and Cultural Autonomy in Crimea, strongly backed Russia’' annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014.
He served as a lawmaker in Crimea from 1995 to 1996.
According to 2014 census figures, some 21,700 Belarusians live in Crimea, making up less than one percent of the overall population.
It doesn't look like relations between Moscow and Kyiv are going to thaw anytime soon, at least if this report from our news desk is anything to go by:
Russia Files Lawsuit Against Ukraine Over Unpaid Eurobonds
Russia has filed a lawsuit against Ukraine after Kyiv failed to repay a $3 billion Eurobond.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the lawsuit was filed on February 17 at the High Court in London.
"This lawsuit was filed after repeated unsuccessful attempts to engage Ukraine in constructive dialogue about restructuring the debt and to admit the fact that Russia-owned Eurobonds are an official loan," Siluanov said in comments quoted by Russian media.
The Eurobond was issued by the government of former President Viktor Yanukovych in late 2013 and bought by Russia in its entirety.
The bond was issued just two months before Yanukovych fled Ukraine amid street protests triggered by his seeking to halt Ukraine's swing toward European integration in favor of closer economic ties with Russia.
Ukraine, which has separately reached an agreement with private creditors to restructure its sovereign and sovereign-guaranteed debt, insists the Eurobond is a commercial debt and that it cannot offer Russia a better deal than other creditors.