Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council:
Protesters vow to indefinitely block rail lines to east:
Ukrainian nationalists have vowed to indefinitely block a railway line into eastern Ukraine to protest against trade with Russia-backed separatists.
Volodymyr Parasyuk, a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, told Ukraina 112 TV on January 27 that "all the railways will be blocked" and "the action will last more than just one or two days -- it will be indefinite."
The blockade aims to stop both legal and illegal contraband trade with areas controlled by separatists and is being carried out by members of parliament and several dozen former volunteer fighters for the government.
The blockade has held up 12 freight trains with more than 700 coaches since it began on January 26, TASS reported.
Kyiv in 2015 banned almost all trade with separatist strongholds, prompting a boom in smuggling. The only commodity that can be obtained legally from the region is coal.
The pro-Kyiv governor of the Lugansk region, Yuriy Harbuz, warned that the blockade "threatens the energy security of the country," in the height of winter.
Harbuz said the protesters "had blocked empty train cars intended to transport coal into the territory controlled by Ukraine."
"If fuel supplies aren't restarted, heat and power stations in central and western Ukraine will be left without fuel," he warned. (AFP, TASS, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
That concludes our live-blogging of the Ukraine crisis for Friday, January 27, 2017. Check back here tomorrow for more of our continuing coverage. Thanks for reading and take care.
Former Separatist Leader From Luhansk Reportedly Dies In Russia
Russian media reports say a former leader of Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's Luhansk region has died in Russia at the age of 46.
Reports say Valeriy Bolotov, a Luhansk businessman who acted as a separatist leader in the region in 2014, was found dead in his apartment in Russia on January 27.
There were conflicting reports about whether his apartment was in Moscow or outside the Russian capital.
There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of Bolotov's death, though Russian state media quoted sources as saying he died of a heart attack.
Several prominent separatists have died or been killed in murky circumstances, while others have survived assassination attempts.
Bolotov himself survived an attempted assassination during his time as a self-declared leader in Luhansk.
Infighting among the Russia-backed separatists has repeatedly bubbled into public view since their war against the Kyiv government's forces broke out in April 2014.
Despite significant evidence of Russia's involvement in eastern Ukraine, Moscow denies supporting the separatists with troops and weaponry.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Russian Service, Interfax, rbc.ru, and gazeta.ru
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Trump Says It's Too Early To Discuss Lifting Russia Sanctions
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump says it is too early to be discussing the possibility of lifting sanctions against Russia but that he hopes to have a "great relationship" with Moscow.
Trump’s comments at a January 27 news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May came one day ahead of his planned phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and amid widespread speculation that he could scrap sanctions imposed on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine.
"As far as the sanctions, very early to be talking about that," Trump told reporters following his meeting with May, his first face-to-face talks with a foreign leader since his inauguration last week.
Earlier on January 27, senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said the lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed against Russia over its actions in Ukraine and elsewhere was "under consideration."
During the news conference, Trump repeated his desire to improve ties between Moscow and Washington -- which were badly frayed over Russia's 2014 seizure and illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and Moscow's support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"If we could have a great relationship with Russia, and with China, and with all countries, I'm all for that," Trump said.
cs/rs
McCain Vows To Cement Sanctions Against Russia If Trump Tries To Lift Them
By RFE/RL
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator John McCain says he will pursue legislation that would cement sanctions against Russia into law if President Donald Trump decides to lift them.
McCain, a Republican from Arizona, made the pledge in a January 27 statement, a day before a planned phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier on January 27, senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said in a television interview that lifting U.S. sanctions that were imposed against Russia over its actions in Ukraine and elsewhere was "under consideration."
McCain noted that the January 28 phone call between Trump and Putin comes "amid widespread speculation that the White House is considering lifting sanctions against Russia."
"For the sake of America's national security and that of our allies, I hope President Trump will put an end to this speculation and reject such a reckless course," McCain said. "If he does not, I will work with my colleagues to codify sanctions against Russia into law."
McCain, a vocal critic of Putin, called the Russian president a "murderer and a thug who seeks to undermine American national security interests."
Moscow has repeatedly accused McCain of stirring up anti-Russian sentiment.
Trump’s stated desire to seek better relations with Russia has triggered criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.