We are now shutting down the live blog for today. Until we resume again tomorrow morning, you can keep up with all our other Ukraine coverage here.
Two Russians arrested in eastern Ukraine have detention extended:
Kyiv's Holosiiv district court has extended the detention of two Russians alleged to be members of Russia's armed forces until at least February 20.
The extended arrest of Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Aleksandr Aleksandrov was requested by the state prosecutor and granted by the court on December 23.
Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev were detained in Ukraine's Luhansk region in May. Ukrainian investigators that month announced that they were suspected of terrorist activities and fighting alongside separatists in the east.
The district court began hearing charges against them on November 10. Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev deny the charges.
In a video published days after their capture, the two men said they were on active duty with the Russian military in eastern Ukraine when they were captured.
Moscow contends Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov were no longer employed by the state when they were captured.
Russia denies accusations that it is providing weapons, training, and personnel to support pro-Russian separatists fighting government forces in eastern Ukraine. (Interfax, TASS)
Ukraine votes to allow trade embargo against Russia:
Ukraine's parliament has voted to allow the government the right to impose a trade embargo against Russia.
The law was supported by 291 of the parliament's 420 lawmakers on December 24 and will come into force once it is signed by the president.
Last week, Russia canceled its free-trade zone with Ukraine and banned Ukrainian food imports.
Ukraine will enter a free-trade agreement with the European Union next year. (Reuters, Interfax)