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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
09:29 14.5.2014
09:37 14.5.2014
09:46 14.5.2014
This just in from RFE/RL's news desk:
The Ukrainian government is hosting roundtable talks today in an effort to de-escalate the crisis in the country's east amid a fresh report of a deadly separatist attack on government troops.

The talks in Kyiv will include government, parliamentary, and regional leaders, but notably no representative from the pro-Russian separatist movement.

The roundtable discussions will be moderated by veteran German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger and are based on a road map brokered by the OSCE.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the talks in Kyiv as "only a start."

The talks come as pro-Russian separatists claim to have killed eight government soldiers in an overnight battle outside Slovyansk.

That report comes one day after separatist rebels killed seven Ukrainian soldiers in an ambush.
09:53 14.5.2014
10:05 14.5.2014
10:09 14.5.2014
10:54 14.5.2014
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10:57 14.5.2014
11:04 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."

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