Here is an update from our news desk:
Ukraine is holding a day of national mourning on January 25, following a series of rocket attacks in the southeastern city of Mariupol that killed 30 people and injured more than 90 others.
National flags were flown at half-mast and a minute of silence was observed at midday local time in memory of the victims.
President Petro Poroshenko also ordered the cancellation of sporting and cultural events on January 25.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry said the city had been targeted on January 24 with three separate strikes by Grad rockets fired from separatist-held areas.
The rebels claimed Ukrainian forces were behind the attacks.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the rockets came from rebel-held areas.
The attacks have prompted widespread condemnation.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the "horrific assault by Russia-backed separatists" was made possible by "Russia's irresponsible and dangerous decision to resupply" the separatists with hundreds of new pieces of advanced weaponry.
(unian.net, tsn.ua)
RFE/RL's news desk has issued this item on Obama's reaction to the rocket attacks on Mariupol:
U.S. President Barack Obama has expressed alarm over cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine following rocket assaults that killed 30 people and injured more than 90 in the government-held city of Mariupol.
"We are deeply concerned about the latest break in the cease-fire," Obama said at a press conference in New Delhi on January 25.
Obama blamed "separatists with Russian backing, Russian equipment, Russian financing, Russian training and Russian troops" for the escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine.
Obama pledged to "ratchet up the pressure on Russia" in cooperation with U.S. allies, saying he would look at all options short of military confrontation.
Kyiv said Mariupol had been targeted on January 24 with three separate strikes by Grad rockets fired from separatist-held areas.
The rebels claimed Ukrainian forces were behind the attacks.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the rockets came from rebel-held areas.
(AFP, unian.net, tsn.ua)