Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council:
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against yet another visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Crimea. Russia's president went to Crimea on December 2 without prior agreement by Ukraine.
According to a Ukrainian ministry statement, Kyiv sent a note of protest about such visits to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ukraine also asked Russia to explain its disrespect of Ukrainian laws.
“We once again stress that the Autonomous Repulic of Crimea and Sevastopol are and remain an integral part of Ukraine within its internationally-recognized boundaries,” the statement reads.
Russia has not yet commented on the situation.
Interesting population-density map of Ukraine:
More on Saakashivili, angry at the Georgian decision to revoke his citizenship:
Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian ex-president who now governs the Odesa region in neighboring Ukraine, says Tbilisi's decision to strip him of his Georgian citizenship is politically motivated.
Saakashvili, who started the Odesa job in May, told RFE/RL hours after the move was announced that Georgia's current authorities "are afraid" of him.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili revoked Saakashvili's citizenship on December 4, one day after Justice Minister Tea Tsulukani recommended the action.
Tbilisi cites a ban on dual citizenship and the Ukrainian citizenship that Saakashvili took on earlier this year in order to take up the Odesa job for his friend, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
"That is clearly a political decision, and there are several reasons to think that way," Saakashvili said. "First, there is a two year period given by the Ukrainian laws for revoking previous country’s citizenship. And the Georgian government was well aware of it. There are many our [Georgian] citizens working at different official posts here, and they also obtained Ukrainian citizenship. However, there is no [such] decision on them."
Saakashvili and his United National Movement Party in Georgia suggested the move was aimed at preventing his possible participation in Georgia's parliamentary elections, scheduled for next year.
"Although I have never said I would take part in the polls," Saakashvili added.
His United National Movement Party also announced that despite Saakashvili's Georgian citizenship being revoked, he would remain the party's de facto leader; but a new, formal leader will be elected soon to ensure that the party's activities don't run afoul of the law.
Saakashvili, who introduced reforms during nearly a decade in power in Georgia following the 2003 Rose Revolution, left that ex-Soviet republic after his presidency ended in November 2013.
The government that came to power after beating his party in 2012 parliamentary elections has accused him of fraud, organization of an assault, and abuse of office -- charges he denies -- and has sought to prosecute a number of his former allies.
Tbilisi asked Kyiv to extradite Saakashvili earlier this year, but Ukrainian officials call the accusations against him politically motivated.