Ukraine Votes In Second Round Of Local Elections
Ukrainians are heading to the polls in the second round of local elections.
Voters are choosing on November 15 mayors and council representatives in Kyiv and 28 other cities across the country.
Exit polls released after the first round of elections held on October 25 indicated the government of President Petro Poroshenko would retain its dominant position in the west and center of the country.
But in the south and east, voters favored the Opposition Bloc, formed from the remnants of the party of the former pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych who was overthrown in early 2014 after months of street protests.
Elections were not held in parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia-backed separatists and in the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in March 2014.
Based on reporting by UNIAN and TASS
Ukrainian Soldier Killed In Clashes Near Donetsk
The Ukrainian military says one of its servicemen has been killed in the country's east.
Army spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on November 15 that the soldier was killed and eight others wounded after shelling some 10 kilometers north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.
For their part, rebel officials were quoted as accusing Ukraine of using mortars and tanks to fire on rebel-held territory.
Fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists has intensified after weeks of relative calm.
On November 14, Ukraine reported the death of five soldiers north and west of Donetsk, the highest military death toll since the latest cease-fire took hold in September.
More than 7,900 people have been killed in fighting in the country’s east since April 2014.
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
That concludes our live-blogging of the Ukraine crisis for Sunday, November 15. Check back here tomorrow for more of our continuing coverage.
Poroshenko condemns rise in separatist attacks:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has condemned an uptick in attacks by pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine.
"We see there is a net escalation in the conflict in the east [amid] a rise in the number of [separatist] attacks," Poroshenko said.
"I have given orders to open fire in response as soon as our troops' lives come under threat," Poroshenko warned.
Fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists has intensified after weeks of relative calm.
Poroshenko's comments to Ukrainian TV on November 15 come hours after the Ukrainian military said one of its soldiers was killed and eight wounded in attacks by pro-Russian separatists in the past 24 hours.
A day earlier, Kyiv reported five soldiers killed in direct attacks from the separatist side in the previous 24 hours, the highest daily death toll in two months.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which monitors the implementation of the cease-fire, warned on November 13 that this month's increase in violence threatened to derail the peace process. (AFP, Interfax)