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.
-- 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
The agencies are reporting a high turnout in Kyiv. This from Reuters:
Early signs pointed to a high turnout in sunny weather in an election where the main candidates, including front-runner Petro Poroshenko, a confectionery magnate, are promising closer ties with the West in defiance of Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
But the absence of over 15 percent of the electorate, in Russian-annexed Crimea and two eastern regions where fighting with pro-Moscow rebels continued on Saturday, may mar any result - and leave the Kremlin questioning the victor's legitimacy, for all Putin's new pledge to respect the people's will.
Voting began in most of Ukraine at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) and will end 12 hours later, when exit polls will indicate a result ahead of an official outcome on Monday.
Only about 20 percent of the polling stations in the heavily industrialised, Russian-speaking Donetsk region, which has 3.3 million registered voters, were working as of 9:30 a.m. (0630 GMT), authorities said. None were open in the city of Donetsk.
10:0425.5.2014
Meanwhile...
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is scheduled to start a two-day trip to Crimea, as Ukrainians are voting in presidential elections.
Medvedev is to visit on May 25 immigration offices in the city of Sevastopol where Russian passports are being issued to local residents.
Medvedev’s office said he will also visit the Artek children's center on the Black Sea on May 26.
It will be Medvedev's second trip to Crimea since Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in March.
President Vladimir Putin attended Victory Day celebrations earlier this month in the region.
10:0225.5.2014
The "Kyiv Post" is reporting about a confrontation between the Ukrainian Army and separatists in Donetsk:
"On the road from Krasnoarmiisk to Donetsk in Donetsk Oblast: Five Ukrainian armored personnel carriers with some 15 troops are closing in on Kremlin-backed armed rebels at the Karlivka checkpoint. They are dangerously close to each other now."
09:4625.5.2014
09:4025.5.2014
Our Belarus Service put together this photo gallery of voting in Kyiv.
Photo Gallery:
Voting In Kyiv
RFE/RL's Belarus Service went to polling station No. 800621, situated in a Kyiv high school.
