This ends our live blogging for May 13. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
Seems to be more debunking of Kremlin claims that separatists using stolen Ukrainian military hardware, as opposed to being supplied by Moscow:
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council:
Poroshenko appoints U.S. Senator McCain an adviser:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has appointed U.S. Republican Senator John McCain as an adviser.
Ukraine's pro-Western authorities are putting together an advisory council to help conduct reforms and build global support for Ukraine.
A decree released by the Ukrainian presidency on May 14 says that pending his agreement, McCain will become a member of the council, along with former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.
The Advisory International Council of Reforms is to be headed by Mikheil Saakashvili, the fiercely pro-Western former president of Georgia, and will also include Elmar Brok, a member of the European Parliament, and economist Anders Aslund.
McCain, who is a former presidential candidate, tweeted that he would be honored to take up the post, but added that he first had to be cleared by the Senate.
Kyiv is fighting a pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 6,000 people since April last year.
Sporadic violence continues despite a shaky cease-fire sealed in February. (w/ AFP)
Baltic states want a permanent NATO troop presence:
Lithuania's military says the Baltic states will seek a permanent presence of NATO troops on their territory to counter increased Russian air and naval activity.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fear they could become a target of Russian pressure after a pro-Moscow rebellion in eastern Ukraine.
All three Baltic states have sizeable Russian minorities and were part of the former Soviet Union. They have been members of NATO since 1999 and joined the European Union in 2004.
Lithuanian Army spokesman Mindaugas Neimontas said on May 14, "In reaction to the security situation in the region, as a measure of deterrence, chiefs of defense of the Baltic states will apply officially to Supreme NATO Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) about permanent stationing of a brigade-sized NATO unit in the Baltic states."
A NATO brigade typically numbers between 3,000 and 5,000 troops and is made up of several battalions.
NATO is establishing six regional command-and-control centers in the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.
But the alliance has pledged under a 1997 agreement with Russia not to permanently station "substantial combat forces" in its eastern member countries. (Reuters, dpa)