More on that OSCE drone:
And, speaking of Ukraine's volatile east, here is today's map of the latest situation in the Donbas conflict zone, according to the Defense Ministry in Kyiv:
Here's an item on the situation in Ukraine's volatile east from our news desk:
U.S. Demands Russia Observe Cease-Fire; Says Combined Russian-Separatist Forces Attack Monitors
The United States has called on Russia to "immediately" observe a cease-fire deal in eastern Ukraine – saying that combined forces from Russia's military and pro-Russia separatists there have been targeting international monitors.
In a February 26 statement, the U.S. State Department called on "Russia and the separatist forces it backs to immediately observe the cease-fire, withdraw all heavy weapons, and allow full and unfettered access" to the region for monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Washington's call came a day after the OSCE monitoring mission said armed men in separatist-controlled territory to the north of Donetsk had seized one of the unarmed drones that the monitors use to assess cease-fire violations.
It also came a day after Ukrainian government forces says 16 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded within the previous 24 hours by renewed fighting against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine -- despite the fresh truce that was meant to come into effect on February 20.
The truce deal announced by Russia and Ukraine was meant to stem a conflict that has raged for nearly three years and has claimed nearly 10,000 lives.
Both Kyiv and the Russia-backed separatists accuse each other of violating the cease-fire deal.