Here's an update on deadly fighting in eastern Ukraine from our news desk:
Officials say four pro-Russian rebels, a Ukrainian soldier, and one civilian were killed in clashes that broke out over the past 24 hours in violation of a February truce deal.
The civilian died during an artillery fire attack on the Avdiivka coke and chemical plant, located near of the rebels' de facto capital Donetsk.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters that a resulting fire at the plant caused a small ammonia leak. He did not provide further details.
Lysenko said 12 Ukrainian soldiers were also wounded in clashes across the war zone.
The pro-Kyiv governor of the separatist province of Luhansk said a Ukrainian soldier died when his military ambulance came under fire near the Russian border.
Rebel authorities said four of their fighters were killed and another three injured in the past day.
Fighting was particularly heavy in Shyrokyne, near the strategic port city of Mariupol, military officials from both sides said.
(AFP, Interfax)
Here is a map of the latest military situation in the Donbas region -- issued by Ukraine's Ministry Of Defense (click image to enlarge):
Comrat, Moldova — There are few issues more contentious in Ukraine than the possibility of "federalizing" its rebellious eastern provinces into autonomous republics.
The government in Kiev sees changing the status of Luhansk and Donetsk as a way for rebels to free themselves from greater Ukraine. The rebels view it as a leash preventing them from achieving the full independence and alignment with Russia that they crave.
What often goes unmentioned is the rough example of such a region just next door. Just across Ukraine's southwestern border in Moldova lies Gagauzia, a semi-autonomous, poor, agricultural region whose profile could rise as tensions in the region deepen.
Moscow has put an end to the long-delayed warship deal with France:
Russia says it is terminating a 1.4 billion-euro ($1.5 billion) deal for two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships from France.
In September 2014, French President Francois Hollande announced that the two warships would not be delivered due to Russia's "recent actions in Ukraine."
Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency quoted Oleg Bochkaryov, the deputy head of the Military-Industrial Commission, as saying on May 26, "Russia won't take them, that's an accomplished fact."
"Now there is only one discussion -- about the sum of money that should be returned to Russia," he added.
Bochkaryov said Russia planned to construct its own similar vessels, not copy the Mistral, adding that Moscow had a "slightly different ideology for the endeavor of amphibious assault."
Earlier this month, the Kremlin said France had made a formal proposal to scrap the deal. (TASS and dpa)