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A woman carries a baby as she passes destroyed houses following what locals say was overnight shelling by Ukrainian forces in the eastern town of Slovyansk on June 9.
A woman carries a baby as she passes destroyed houses following what locals say was overnight shelling by Ukrainian forces in the eastern town of Slovyansk on June 9.
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Live Blog: Crisis In Ukraine (Archive)

Summary for June 9

-- Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says that Moscow and Kyiv have reached a "mutual understanding" on key parts of a plan proposed by President Petro Poroshenko for ending violence in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine.

-- Reports say up to 20 armed gunmen were trying to seize property from a factory (Topaz) that makes communications and electronic-warfare equipment in the Donetsk region.

-- A deputy foreign minister says Russia will consider any expansion of NATO forces near its borders a "demonstration of hostile intentions" and "take the necessary political and military-technological measures to support our security."

-- A two-man crew for Russian Zvezda TV arrived in Moscow after being released from detention in Ukraine.

-- Serbian officials say their own work on the Russian-backed South Stream gas pipeline will have to be suspended after Bulgaria stopped construction of its portion based on EU and U.S. concerns.

-- Ukrainian security forces are reportedly still battling pro-Russian separatists in the east near Slovyansk and Donetsk.

*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Kyiv
16:49 13.5.2014

16:08 13.5.2014
Some news coming in from RFE/RL's Moldovan Service: It seems like Chisinau is taking a step closer to the EU. It's a safe bet to say that Kyiv will be closely watching how that pans out:
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has invited Moldova's Prime Minister Iurie Leanca to sign a key political and economic deal with the European Union on June 27 in Brussels.

Van Rompuy extended the invitation during a meeting with Leanca in Moldova's capital, Chisinau.

The signing of the Association Agreement is expected to take place on the sidelines of an EU summit.

Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti said yesterday that Moldova will exercise its "sovereign right" and sign the agreement despite external political and economic pressures.

Timofti did not name Russia in his comments, but Moscow opposes Moldova seeking that deal with the EU, which Chisinau hopes to sign in June.

Moldova initialed the Association Agreement at a summit in Vilnius in November.
-- with reporting by Alexandru Eftode and Mircea Ticudean

16:01 13.5.2014

15:53 13.5.2014

15:13 13.5.2014
Another update from our news desk on Frank-Walter Steinmeier's diplomatic efforts:
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says he hopes "roundtable" talks between politicians and civic groups will help to disarm pro-Russian separatists and improve the atmosphere for the May 25 presidential election.

Steinmeier, speaking in Kyiv after talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, called for the release of all hostages in eastern Ukraine and for separatists to vacate seized government buildings.

He said the situation in certain parts of Ukraine remains "dangerous and threatening."

Steinmeier also met with acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya and acting President President Oleksandr Turchynov before flying to Odesa.

But Yatsenyuk said the key to resolving the destabilizing situation in Ukraine "is not in Kyiv but in Moscow."

Yatsenyuk also thanked German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, organizer of Munich's annual security conference, for offering to moderate any round-table talks.

14:33 13.5.2014

14:30 13.5.2014

14:24 13.5.2014
This has come in from the wires:
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has asked the country's Justice Ministry to look into the Communist Party's alleged separatist activities.

He said if evidence of such activities is found, a court should ban the party.

Turchynov told parliament today that "there is a lot of information and material on the complicity" of Communist Party members in separatist activities.

He also accused Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko of spreading "lies" and pro-Russian "propaganda" about events in the southern city of Mariupol, where at least seven people were killed in clashes between security forces and armed pro-Russian separatists on May 9.

Symonenko earlier told parliament that during a May 9 raid on police headquarters in Mariupol, special forces killed police officers who refused to use weapons to disperse protesters.

Turchynov called this "lies and incorrect information."

13:43 13.5.2014

13:33 13.5.2014

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