15:43
17.5.2014
16:26
17.5.2014
Check out this report by RFE/RL's Charles Recknagel on the situation in Mariupol:
A week after the southeastern port city of Mariupol saw some of the worst violence of the Ukraine crisis so far, an uneasy calm has fallen over the city.
But it is not the kind of calm which comes from government forces clearly defeating separatists -- or vice-versa -- and then restoring order.
Instead, it is the kind of limbo that develops when nobody has won and the city turns into a gray zone where fearful residents walk the streets by day and criminal gangs rule the streets at night.
You can read the whole piece here.
A week after the southeastern port city of Mariupol saw some of the worst violence of the Ukraine crisis so far, an uneasy calm has fallen over the city.
But it is not the kind of calm which comes from government forces clearly defeating separatists -- or vice-versa -- and then restoring order.
Instead, it is the kind of limbo that develops when nobody has won and the city turns into a gray zone where fearful residents walk the streets by day and criminal gangs rule the streets at night.
You can read the whole piece here.
16:27
17.5.2014
16:37
17.5.2014
Barring major developments, this wraps up our live blogging for May 17, 2014.
18:36
17.5.2014
From our news desk. No surprises that the election next week, in some parts, is going to be hard to organize.
Ukraine's Central Election Commission says it may be impossible to organise next weekend's presidential election in the country's east if the government fails to ensure security in regions overrun by pro-Russian separatists.
The commission said on May 17 that it could not prepare for the vote in parts of the east because of threats and "illegal actions" by the separatists.
It said officials have been unable to start preparing for the May 25 vote in six constituencies in Donetsk region and another six in Luhansk region where the separatists have declared their own independent republics.
It called on acting President Oleksandr Turchynov and the government to take urgent action to ensure security.
Separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk have said they will not allow the May 25 election to take place in their regions.
The commission said on May 17 that it could not prepare for the vote in parts of the east because of threats and "illegal actions" by the separatists.
It said officials have been unable to start preparing for the May 25 vote in six constituencies in Donetsk region and another six in Luhansk region where the separatists have declared their own independent republics.
It called on acting President Oleksandr Turchynov and the government to take urgent action to ensure security.
Separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk have said they will not allow the May 25 election to take place in their regions.
07:51
18.5.2014
07:52
18.5.2014
08:20
18.5.2014
Our Ukrainian Service is broadcasting live from Simferopol (in Ukrainian):
08:40
18.5.2014
09:05
18.5.2014