Another item from our news desk:
Kremlin Says Change Of Separatist Leadership In Luhansk Won't Affect Minsk Process
The Kremlin says a change of leadership for Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern region of Luhansk will not affect the implementation of the Minsk peace agreements.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 27 that "continuity" remains, "especially on the issue of the implementation of the Minsk agreements" and on "initiatives" to exchange prisoners.
Separatist leader Igor Plotnitsky's resignation was announced by a website of the Luhansk-based separatists on November 24 in the midst of a fierce power struggle that unfolded over several days.
The website said Plotnitsky resigned for health reasons and that Leonid Pasechnik, the self-proclaimed security minister of the separatist formation, would be acting leader "until the next elections."
The website also announced on November 24 that Plotnitsky had been named as the separatists' representative to the Minsk process, which is aimed at resolving the conflict.
After occupying and illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, Moscow began fomenting unrest in parts of eastern Ukraine.
Moscow has provided political, military, and economic support to separatists who gained control over parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, sparking a war that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.
Moscow denies involvement in Ukraine's internal affairs, despite compelling evidence to the contrary.
Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS, Gazeta.ru, and RIA-Novosti
Here's an item from RFE/RL's news desk:
Ukrainian Police Detain 60 People At Gathering Of Mafia Bosses
Police in Kyiv have detained more than 60 people at an alleged gathering of organized crime bosses in the Ukrainian capital.
Authorities said the arrests were made late on November 26 during a raid by National Police and Ukrainian special forces at a restaurant in Kyiv's historic Pushcha-Vodytsia neighborhood.
A statement from Ukraine's National Police force said those gathered in Kyiv included powerful crime bosses who were able to "influence the criminal situation in Kyiv and other regions" of the country.
Andriy Krishchenko, the head of the main directorate of Kyiv's National Police, said the 60 suspects were taken to police headquarters for questioning.
"It turned out that most of them have criminal records and have served sentences for committing various types of crimes in prisons," Krishchenko said.
Krishchenko also said knives and hand guns with "suspicious licenses" were seized from suspects during the late night raid on the restaurant.
He said several of the detained suspects had dubious identification documents.
He said investigators will decide after completing their probe what charges, if any, will be filed in the case.