Russian-Ukrainian Probe of Donetsk Mass Graves Needed: Russian Human Rights Council Head

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Mikhail Fedotov, Head of Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights

Photo Credit: © RIA Novosti. Artyom Zhiteneev

Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights has suggested a public investigation into the mass graves near eastern Ukraine's Donetsk could be carried out by a joint Russian-Ukrainian human rights mission, the council's head Mikhail Fedotov told RIA Novosti in an interview.

Shelling Strikes Donetsk’s Kievskaya Area, Inflicts Casualties: City Council

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Shelling has struck Donetsk's Kievskaya area, inflicting casualties among civilians, reads the statement published on Donetsk's City Council's website Sunday.
"As of 13:00 p.m. [10:00 GMT], the situation in the city remains critically grave. The sounds of single shots from large-caliber weapons and artillery volleys do not subside. Once again, the shelling has struck Kievskaya Area – the neighborhood of Gladkovka. The units of the MES [Ministry of Emergency Situations] are in place. According to preliminary records, there are casualties among the civilian population. Due to military actions, tram services via route №1 have been stopped since 11:30 a.m. [08:30 GMT]," the statement reads.
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Ukrainian Army Attacks Military Plant in Donetsk

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The Ukrainian military have carried out an attack on a military plant in Donetsk, where explosives are blowing up.  At the moment, there is smoke over the 107th military factory and explosions still could be heard. The locals said that there were ammunition supplies stored in the factory, which are currently exploding.
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Russian REN-TV News Crew Comes Under Fire In Donetsk

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 Russian TV crew from REN-TV television channel came under fire in Donetsk, according to REN-TV official website. “REN-TV reporters came under fire in Donetsk. One day before a ceasefire comes into effect, Ukrainian Army has shelled city center,” a statement on the website reads. Press freedom in Ukraine has steadily deteriorated since Kiev launched military operation in southeastern Ukraine aimed at suppressing independence supporters. Journalists have been detained, kidnapped, tortured and killed.

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Donetsk, Luhansk Republics Call on Kiev to Acknowledge 'Special Status' - Statement

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The self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian regions of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have called upon Kiev to acknowledge their special status in exchange for fulfilling the capitol's demands and promising to use maximum efforts to keep Ukraine a unified space.


“Equal negotiations are the single acceptable method for the People’s Republics on solving the conflict and restoring peace. The president, government and Verkhovna Rada (parliament of Ukraine) must accept in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Geneva Accords the legal acts guaranteeing…the acknowledgment by Kiev of the special status of the territories controlled by the People’s Republics,” a joint republic statement reads.
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Donetsk, Luhansk Republics Demand Kiev Guarantee Their Right to Use Russian

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The self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are demanding that the Kiev government guarantee their right to use Russian as an official language.
“The president, the government and the Verkhovna Rada [parliament] must adopt legislative documents… guaranteeing the right of the people’s republics to use Russian as the official language,” the republics said in their joint negotiations’ statement.

Over 22,400 Sign Petition Demanding UN to Recognize Luhansk, Donetsk People’s Republics

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More than 22,400 people have signed an online petition calling on the United Nations to recognize independence of people’s republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.
“We should try to help the people gain independence by our votes, rather than just sitting on the couch in front of a TV-set,” said Vladimir, a Russian-speaking person living in Germany, who started the petition with Avaaz Community Petitions a month ago.
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Ukraine Civil War: War Torn Donetsk People’s Republic Prime Minister Resigns, Names Field Commander as Successor

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The prime minister of Donetsk People’s Republic, Alexander Boroday, announced his resignation Thursday.

«I came here as a crisis manager, a startuper if you wish. A lot was done in the past days, and DPR has proven itself as a state. Now I cede my place to a respected field commander, my friend Alexander Zakharchenko," Boroday said.

A Moscow-native, Boroday said the leader of the DPR must be a Donetsk native, as Zakharchenko, who has also been an outspoken leader of a unit of independence supporters called Oplot.

Photos: Ceremony of handing the flight recorders over to Malaysian officials

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Ceremony of handing the flight recorders over to Malaysian officials went according to international protocols as required between two countries (Malaysia and DPR respectively). During the ceremony, Malaysian official properly addressed Boroday as a head of state. Ukrainians were reportedly trembling with outrage.

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Death toll from Ukrainian shelling of miners' village near Donetsk rises to 12

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The death toll from a Ukrainian attack on a miners’ village near the Trudovskaya coal mine in a suburb of Donetsk has risen to 12, the Donetsk city administration reports.

Earlier reports said that six people had been killed in the attack, which occurred on Saturday.

The Donetsk administration offered condolences to the victims’ families

Law enforcers announce take over of two-thirds of districts in Donetsk and Lugansk regions

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The Ukrainian military are in control of 13 out of the 18 districts of the Donetsk region and 10 out of the 18 districts of the Lugansk region, the press service of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reports with reference to the NSDC secretary Andriy Parubiy.

Saturday, Ukrainian law enforcers stated that they had taken control of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, left by the main forces of the militia. The militia was forced to retreat in the direction of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Kiev court issues arrest warrants for leaders of Donetsk, Lugansk People’s Republics

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Kiev's Shevchenkivsky District Court has issued arrest warrants for 11 leaders of the "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Lugansk People's Republic" at the request of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, the office said on Monday.

Donetsk miners threaten to take arms if Kiev continues military operation

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“The people of the DPR will fight. First of all the foreign enemy, and then oligarchs’ turn will come,” TASS cites an official of the self-proclaimed republic as saying.

Miners from the Donetsk Region in eastern Ukraine will take arms if the Kiev authorities do not stop their military operation in the region within two days, a deputy coal industry minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Konstantin Kuznetsov, said Wednesday.

Ukraine Crisis Part 2 - Live Updates: 'Lugansk People's Republic's' health minister killed - militia

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For more recent video or update visit facebook page 'southfronteng' 

The health minister of the "Lugansk People's Republic" was killed by a bomb allegedly dropped on the regional administration headquarters by a Ukrainian government warplane on Monday, a spokesman for the unilaterally proclaimed republic said.

"Our minister of health, Natalya Arkhipova, was killed because of the bombing of the building of the regional administration by the air force," the spokesman told Interfax. "Apparently, she was standing on the front door porch speaking to another woman during the air raid."

Donetsk, Lugansk People's Republics unite in Novorossiya

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The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics have merged in one state.

The Donetsk People’s Republic’s twitter reports that the two republics have signed their merger in one state, Novorossiya.

On the part of the Donetsk Republic, the document was signed by Prime Minister Alexander Borodai and on the part of the Lugansk Republic, by head of the republic Aleksey Karyakin, the microblog reports.

Photo Post: Situation in Donetsk

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See more pics after the break