Latest update from our newsroom on the mine blast, which separatists say was not caused by artillery:
The speaker of Ukraine's parliament says at least 32 people have been killed in a coal mine blast in the separatist-held eastern city of Donetsk.
Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Hroysman told lawmakers "a tragedy occurred this morning at the Zasyadko mine. There are dead -- at the moment, 32 people."
"Let us honor the memory of these laborers," he said.
Russian-backed separatist authorities in Donetsk said earlier that 73 people were feared trapped in the huge mine after a methane blast.
An emergency official in the self-proclaimed government, Yuliana Bedilo (eds: a woman), said 14 people were injured.
She said the blast was not caused by an artillery strike.
Donetsk has frequently been hit by artillery during the conflict between the Russian-backed rebels and government forces, which has killed more than 6,000 people since April.
Fighting has subsided following a February 12 cease-fire deal.
Our Russian-language program Current Time TV has this video report (in Russian) from St. Petersberg, where "Russian monarchists" are volunteering and recruiting volunteers to fight for pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Our newsroom re-upping potentially significant news on Savchenko, who has been on hunger strike for 82 days now:
A lawyer for Nadia Savchenko says the jailed Ukrainian pilot has promised to end her hunger strike when her health becomes "completely terrible," suggesting she would halt the protest before she dies.
Attorney Mark Feigin made the remark on Twitter on March 3.
"I got her to say that when it becomes completely terrible, she will take heed and stop. She said this," Feigin wrote.
He said Savchenko promised "to remember that Ukrainians and Russians are urging her not to die."
Savchenko is in pretrial detention in Russia, where she has been charged with involvement in a mortar attack that killed two Russian journalists covering the conflict betwee government forces and Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine.
She denies guilt and says she was kidnapped and brought to Russia illegally.
She has been on a hunger strike since December 13, and her sister said on March 1 that she was "in a very bad state."
From our newsroom:
France says U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders have agreed that a "strong reaction" would be necessary if a cease-fire between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists is violated.
French President Francois Hollande's office said that in a March 3 video conference, the leaders underscored their support for a truce negotiated in Minsk.
"They have agreed that a strong reaction from the international community would be necessary in case of a major breach of the process put in place in Minsk," it said in a statement.
The leaders of Britain, Germany, and Italy also participated in the conference, as did European Council President Donald Tusk of Poland.
Kyiv and Western governments accuse Russia of backing separatists in eastern Ukraine with troops and arms despite the February 12 peace deal, a charge Moscow denies.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume tomorrow, you can keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage here.
Here's an update from our news desk:
The U.S. military estimates some 12,000 Russian soldiers are supporting pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.
U.S. Army Europe Commander Ben Hodges said the Russian forces are made up of military advisers, weapons operators and combat troops.
Hodges also said some 29,000 Russian troops are in Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine last year.
Hodges said in Berlin on March 3 that helping Ukraine with weapons would increase the stakes for Russian President Vladimir Putin at home.
He added that "when mothers start seeing sons come home dead, when that price goes up, then that domestic support begins to shrink."
Russia denies aiding the rebels.
Hodges said what Ukraine wants "is intelligence, counterfire capability and something that can stop a Russian tank."
The White House still hasn't decided whether to send arms to Ukraine, and Hodges reiterated Washington wanted a diplomatic solution.
(AP, Reuters)