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A woman carries a baby as she passes destroyed houses following what locals say was overnight shelling by Ukrainian forces in the eastern town of Slovyansk on June 9.
A woman carries a baby as she passes destroyed houses following what locals say was overnight shelling by Ukrainian forces in the eastern town of Slovyansk on June 9.
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Live Blog: Crisis In Ukraine (Archive)

Summary for June 9

-- Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says that Moscow and Kyiv have reached a "mutual understanding" on key parts of a plan proposed by President Petro Poroshenko for ending violence in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine.

-- Reports say up to 20 armed gunmen were trying to seize property from a factory (Topaz) that makes communications and electronic-warfare equipment in the Donetsk region.

-- A deputy foreign minister says Russia will consider any expansion of NATO forces near its borders a "demonstration of hostile intentions" and "take the necessary political and military-technological measures to support our security."

-- A two-man crew for Russian Zvezda TV arrived in Moscow after being released from detention in Ukraine.

-- Serbian officials say their own work on the Russian-backed South Stream gas pipeline will have to be suspended after Bulgaria stopped construction of its portion based on EU and U.S. concerns.

-- Ukrainian security forces are reportedly still battling pro-Russian separatists in the east near Slovyansk and Donetsk.

*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Kyiv
15:11 14.5.2014
Meanwhile, Sergei Lavrov has been giving an interview to an American television station. Our news desk has this precis of what he said:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Ukraine is "as close to a civil war as you can get."

In a May 14 interview with Bloomberg TV, Lavrov, also said "a real war" was going on in eastern and southern Ukraine, making it difficult to hold a free and fair presidential election later this month.

Lavrov said that for a national dialogue to succeed, "it is absolutely necessary to ensure equal participation of all regions of Ukraine."

Armed separatists in eastern Ukraine are not included in roundtable talks beginning on May 14 in Kyiv.

Lavrov also said that Russia has "no intention" of sending its troops anywhere.

Ukraine's pro-Western government and its allies accuse Russia -- which annexed Crimea in March -- of stoking unrest in the east of the country and massing troops on the border.
14:09 14.5.2014
13:09 14.5.2014
13:04 14.5.2014
Meanwhile, here's some business info from our news desk. Probably not what Kyiv or Moscow want to hear right now:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is forecasting that Ukraine will slump into a deep recession this year, while Russia's economy will face stagnation.

The London-based EBRD is holding its annual meeting in Warsaw.

It says Ukraine's economy will shrink by 7 percent in 2014, shredding its previous 2014 growth estimate of 1.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the EBRD said Russia is set to post zero economic growth this year, before expanding by just 0.6 percent in 2015.

The EBRD was founded to help ex-Soviet bloc countries make the transition to free-market economies and democracy.

On May 12, the Ukrainian government signed a pledge to fight corruption.

The EBRD said "combatting corruption in Ukraine has become increasingly urgent because of the impact it is having on the willingness of companies to invest in the country."
12:57 14.5.2014
12:55 14.5.2014
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12:09 14.5.2014
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11:53 14.5.2014

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