From our news desk:
Ukraine's parliament has approved a draft law that would give the government more control over the energy sector.
Parliament also approved, in a first reading, a bill that would allow consortiums with European and American companies to operate and modernize Ukraine's ageing gas transportation system.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told parliament on July 4 that Russia was "trying to tighten as many screws as possible."
He urged parliament to give Kiev the right to declare a "state of emergency" in the energy sector.
Russia – Kiev’s main supplier of gas and natural gas for Europe via Ukraine – halted supplies to Ukraine in June in a dispute over unpaid bills.
Moscow has hinted it will take retaliatory trade measures against Ukraine over its signature last month of a free trade deal with the EU.
Barring any major developments, this ends the live blogging for today.
Good morning, we're starting the live blog this morning with the news that rebels have fled their stronghold in Slavyansk. From our news desk:
Ukraine's interior minister says most pro-Russian rebels and their top commander have fled their eastern stronghold of Slavyansk.
Arsen Avakov told reporters in Kyiv July 5, "This morning, intelligence reported that Girkin (Igor Strelkov) and a substantial part of the rebels had fled Slavyansk" amid intense fighting overnight.
Routing of the rebels in Slavyansk would be Kyiv's biggest success of its nearly three-month campaign to regain control of separatist-held parts of its eastern region.
Insurgents took over Slavyansk, an industrial city of nearly 120,000, on April 6.
Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said in a Facebook post that the militias were fleeing to Gorlivka, a city of 260,000 about 50 kilometers southeast of Slavyansk that remains largely under the militias' control.
You can read about Avakov's Facebooking here.
More from our news desk on Poroshenko order that the flag be raised in Slovyansk:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered the army to raise the national flag in Slavyansk, eastern Ukraine, following reports of the routing of most separatist fighters from the city.
The Ukrainian presidential website said July 5 that "the President gave the order ... for the state flag to be raised on Slavyansk 's town council offices," referring to one of the main buildings where the rebels had been based.
Ukraine's interior minister said earlier July 5 that most pro-Russian rebels and their top commander had fled their eastern stronghold of Slavyansk.
Arsen Avakov told reporters in Kyiv, "This morning, intelligence reported that Girkin (Igor Strelkov) and a substantial part of the rebels had fled Slavyansk" amid intense fighting overnight.
Avakov said in a Facebook post that the militias were fleeing to Gorlivka, a city of 260,000 about 50 kilometers southeast of Slavyansk that remains largely under the militias' control.
Ukraine alleges that Strelkov is a colonel in Russia's military intelligence unit know as the Chief Intelligence Directorate (GRU).
Both Strelkov and Moscow deny any GRU link despite Western claims that the Kremlin is covertly funding and arming the uprising to destabilise Kyiv's new pro-European leaders and retain control over Russia-speaking eastern regions of Ukraine.
Routing of the rebels in Slavyansk would be Kyiv's biggest success of its nearly three-month campaign to regain control of separatist-held parts of its eastern region.
Poroshenko's website said the newly appointed head of the armed forces general staff had told him separatist fighters came under mortar fire as they tried to break through government forces' lines around Slavyansk.
The website said the separatists had lost one tank and other armored vehicles.
Insurgents took over Slavyansk, an industrial city of nearly 120,000, on April 6.