Here's an item from our news desk:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says his government will spend five percent of gross domestic product on defense and security next year, in a bid to strengthen the army in its fight against pro-Russian separatists in the east.
Poroshenko said on December 2 that his government plans to spend about 14 percent of the government budget, or 100 billion hryvnyas, on defense and security in 2016.
Ukraine spent 90 billion hryvnyas ($3.75 billion) this year.
The conflict has killed more than 7,900 people so far. After a period of relative calm, both sides have complained of increased cease-fire violations and use of heavy artillery that was meant to have been withdrawn under the terms of a truce deal.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on December 2 that there is a "real risk" hostilities will flare up again in eastern Ukraine.
"Russian-backed separatists have not yet withdrawn their troops and equipment, illegal groups in eastern Ukraine have not been disarmed, and Ukraine has not been able to reestablish control over its border," he added.
(dpa, Reuters)
Here is today's map of the situation in the Donbas conflict region, courtesy of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE):
The so-called “DPR” head Aleksandr Zakharchenko conducted an impromptu inspection of a local market in Donetsk, according to a video published on YouTube on December 1.
With at least six armed men around him, a cigarette in hand, Zakharchenko decided to check if one of the market scales is in order by placing his 1943 gun on it. “It is the best way to check a scale,” he said.
The scale appeared to be rigged, so Zakharchenko placed his bodyguard’s gun on the scale too -- the screen, apparently, only showed 15 grams. The “DPR” head scolded the vendor for deceiving his customers.