Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
Russian Finance Minister Says Reserve Funds Running Out
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov says the country's Reserve Fund could be exhausted by the end of 2016 if world energy prices remain at current levels.
Speaking to reporters in Moscow on October 27, Siluanov said the budget shortfall for 2015 is expected to be 2.6 trillion rubles ($41 billion). He predicted the budget shortfall for 2016 at 900 billion rubles if oil prices remain around $45 per barrel and a ruble exchange rate of 62 rubles to the dollar.
"This means that 2016 is the last year when we are able to spend our reserves in this way," he added. "After that, we will not have such resources."
Siluanov said that as a result of the dwindling reserves, "the matter of consolidating the budget must be the No. 1 task on our agenda."
The Russian economy has been hit hard by sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, and other countries because of Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
In addition, Moscow has spent billions on projects such as the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the reconstruction of Crimea, and its military campaign in Syria. (Dozhd TV, TASS)
President Petro Poroshenko says the concept of electoral legislation in Donbas is to be presented today in Minsk, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
"Today in Minsk our representatives will present the concept of electoral legislation and the changes we agreed to jointly develop at a meeting in the 'Normandy format,'" he said at a joint briefing with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis.
The contact group, consisting of Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE, is meeting in Minsk today.
The "Normandy four" (Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany) agreed on October 2 that local elections on the territories currently controlled by the separatists may only take place in accordance with Ukrainian law.
Mark Feigin, the lawyer of jailed Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, hinted on Twitter that she may be released in 2016.
"Just left the Novocherkask jail [where Savchenko is]. Nadia says 'Hi' to everybody. Freedom is closer than it may seem. In the new year Savchenko will go home."
He hasn't given any further information.