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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
13:42 24.5.2014

13:36 24.5.2014
Our news desk reports that Dmitry Rogozin is in Syria, and he's been taking a little swipe at Kyiv while he's there it seems:

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Rogozin wrote on May 24 on his Twitter account that he was meeting with officials in Damascus and "finishing meeting with Assad."

The tweet contained a picture of Rogozin shaking hands with Assad.

Speaking after the meeting with the Syrian president, Rogozin contrasted upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine and Syria, saying Syria's election was being conducted in strict accordance with the constitution and "not as a result of a state coup with an accompanying usurpation of power."

Rogozin's meetings came the same day Russia announced plans to ship 12 MiG-29M/M2 fighter planes to Syria in 2016-2017.

MiG aircraft general director Sergei Korotkov said the shipment of planes was in accordance with an agreement signed in 2007.

13:25 24.5.2014

13:22 24.5.2014
Our news desk reports that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko met today in Kyiv with former U.S. Secretary of State and current chairwoman of the U.S. National Democratic Institute Madeleine Albright. Here's what they told reporters:
TYMOSHENKO: I really hope the election will take place on May 25. We won't let anyone disrupt the election, and we think that the presidential election is a really strong stabilizing factor for Ukraine. It gives us hope that we, as a country, will start the process of stabilization and the return of peace to the country.

ALBRIGHT: I do not speak for my country any more but I do speak as chairman of the National Democratic Institute. We want very much to be in Ukraine, to be supportive not only of the election, but of all the work that is doing to have to take place afterwards.

13:12 24.5.2014

12:11 24.5.2014

12:10 24.5.2014

11:40 24.5.2014
Our news desk has been compiling some U.S. reaction to events in Ukraine. First off, this is what Pentagon spokesman John Kirby had to say last night about Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian border:
We have seen continued activity of preparations for departure of some units, not all. We have seen the movement of some units, not all. And I would remind you that there still remains a very sizable force along that border. Tens of thousands of soldiers still remain. While we do see some movement, it's too soon for us to say that this is the wholesale withdrawal that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin had ordered.

State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf in Washington also had this to say about Ukraine's presidential election tomorrow:
We would welcome Russian acknowledgement and acceptance of the election results. The election is preparing to move forward on the 25th [of May], and the vast majority of the country is ready to have them, and where it's been challenging, the Ukrainian government is working the best they can to still allow people to vote. But at the same time, we would encourage Russia to use its influence with separatists, to urge them to cease their violent activities and lay down their arms.

11:30 24.5.2014

11:28 24.5.2014

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