Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly denies any knowledge of Russian military convoy entering Ukraine:
LATEST from our news desk:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Ukrainian forces have destroyed part of a Russian military column that crossed the border during the night. (UNIAN, Reuters, AFP)
Kyiv says its humanitarian aid has arrived in eastern Ukraine:
Read our rundown of the most recent comings and goings in the separatist leadership here: Separatist Shuffle: Who's In, Who's Out Among The Donbas Rebels
Russia is agreeing yet again to do all it can to end the conflict in Ukraine, according to our news desk:
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has agreed with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto they will "do everything within our power" to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The crisis in Ukraine where government troops are fighting pro-Russian separatists was high on the agenda of talks Putin and Niinisto held on August 15 in Sochi.
Niinisto, speaking through a translator, said he hoped a Russian aid delivery to eastern Ukraine would pave the way for a cease-fire.
Putin also said EU sanctions against Moscow put under threat an entire range of ties between Russia and Finland.
Finland has been hit hard by trade embargoes that Moscow has implemented in retaliation for EU sanctions.
The EU sanctions were imposed to punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea and what Western governments say is Moscow's support for the rebels in eastern Ukraine. (Reuters and ITAR-TASS)
The Donetsk separatists have confirmed their new defense minister, our news desk reports:
The Supreme Council of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) has officially named Vladimir Kononov to replace Igor Strelkov as "defense minister."
The separatist group's council met on August 15 to confirm Kononov, who was previously acting defense minister, in his new post.
The fate of the man Konononv replaces is still unclear.
Reports on August 13 claimed that Strelkov, whose real name is Igor Girkin, was severely wounded in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Some DNR representatives denied those reports while others confirmed it.
On August 14, a pro-separatist website reported that Strelkov had resigned as defense minister in connection with a transfer to another post within the separatist movement.
Strelkov himself has not been seen publicly or posted any comments online since reports emerged that he was wounded. (ITAR-TASS and Interfax)
German TV correspondant @birgitvirnich witnesses 19 Russian army armored vehicles, rolling towards the Ukr. border. pic.twitter.com/BpP2YSxJme
— ConflictReporter (@MiddleEast_BRK) August 15, 2014