An excerpt:
Ukrainian officials insist they are still working Sheremet’s case. President Petro Poroshenko, who met with a CPJ fact-finding delegation on July 11, said he remains committed to bringing the killer(s) to justice. Poroshenko even proposed adding an international partner to his government’s investigation, which could invigorate the probe. But while this is a welcome move, it comes very late, and after months of missteps that have shaken the public’s trust.
Factually incorrect statements from top officials, including Ukraine’s interior minister, Arsen Avakov, have undermined the credibility of the investigation. Avakov has alleged Russian involvement in Sheremet’s murder and suggested that the case is unlikely to be solved. But in meetings with investigating agencies, the CPJ was told that Avakov has limited access to investigation files, and that his statements are unsupported by evidence. Our delegation was also told that the authorities are examining several motives, but have not ruled out – or pinpointed – any single one. Why, then, does Avakov continue to make contradictory statements and indulge in poorly sourced conjecture?
Tillerson Says U.S.-Russia Relations 'Under Considerable Stress'
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States would continue to focus on areas of mutual interest with Russia, such as defeating terrorism, despite "considerable stress" in ties and a new sanctions bill adopted by Congress in July. Tillerson spoke at a news briefing on August 1. He is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial gathering in Manila on August 5-6. (Reuters)
Here is today's map of the latest situation in the Donbas conflict zone, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry:
