From AFP
Ukraine launches delayed polio vaccination drive
Kiev, Oct 20, 2015 (AFP) -
Ukraine reported Tuesday the start of a polio vaccination drive that began only after health groups accused Kiev of being critically late in responding to Europe's first outbreak since 2010.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed in late August that two Ukrainian children had been crippled by the virus in the crisis-torn nation's southwestern Zakarpattya region.
But international relief groups condemned the Ukrainian authorities in early October for having done nothing since then to prevent the dangerous situation from spiralling out of control.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reports that Ukrainian children have not been vaccinated against polio since 2008 -- a failure that could lead to outbreaks outside the EU-bordering former Soviet state.
From our news desk:
Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels say they have begun withdrawing tanks and smaller weapons from the front line in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
"The withdrawal has already started," Ukrainian military spokesman Leonid Matyukhin said in a statement on October 20.
"At this very moment, we are withdrawing from around Debaltseve."
Sitting on a key rail link between the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Debatlseve witnessed heavy fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia separatists at the beginning of the year.
Mostly destroyed and deserted, Debaltseve remains under rebel control.
A rebel leader in Donetsk, Eduard Basurin, told the AFP news agency that the "pullback has begun with Debaltseve" and would continue in other locations on October 19.
Fighting has large subsidied in eastern Ukraine over recent weeks with a fresh truce reached in September largely holding.
Barring any major developments, that ends the live blogging for today.
Good morning. We'll start the live blog with a selection of the overnight tweets that caught our eye this morning: