Kyiv Plans

From the BBC:
"Ukraine crisis: Poroshenko offers rebels more autonomy"

Ukraine's president says he will grant more autonomy to separatists in the east to keep the country together. Petro Poroshenko said the current ceasefire had changed the situation "drastically", despite reports that rebels had captured another town. One rebel leader in Donetsk dismissed his comments and said they intended to break away and become independent.  The truce came into effect last Friday in a deal signed in Belarus and backed by Ukraine, the separatists and Russia. More than 2,600 people have been killed since fighting between pro-Russian rebels and government forces erupted in April. Mr Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Tuesday and said they were satisfied with how the truce was holding, a Kremlin official confirmed.  Speaking during a televised meeting with his government, Ukraine's leader said that implementing the truce had been "difficult" in the midst of a "war for the independence and integrity" of the country.  But he added: "The situation has radically changed at the front. Before the ceasefire was announced, Ukraine was losing the lives of dozens of its heroes on a daily basis." Although Russia has consistently denied sending troops into Ukraine, Mr Poroshenko said the latest intelligence suggested "70% of Russian troops have been moved back across the border".  Amnesty International has called on Russia to urgently investigate allegations of war crimes in Ukraine and secure the release of two prisoners it said were illegally taken across the border. The human rights group also said it had evidence that human rights abuses had been carried out by rebels backed by Russia and by the Aidar Battalion, a Ukrainian volunteer defence group.  President Poroshenko said he was seeking a permanent solution to the conflict and had submitted a bill to parliament that would give separatists more autonomy but with "a status that keeps these regions in Ukraine".  "Ukraine will not make any concessions on issues of its territorial integrity," he insisted.

In other developments:

• Rebels said they had captured the town of Komsomolske in the Donetsk region but Ukrainian officials disputed the claim
• Ukrainian TV said three border guards had been killed in an explosion in neighbouring Luhansk region
• The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it might send drones to monitor the ceasefire
• President Poroshenko has been invited to address a joint meeting of the US Congress when he visits the US next week

^ It seems like an uneasy peace that will hopefully hold. As usual, the Ukrainian Government understands the reality of the situation yet also knows they can't back down or they will loose even more territory then has already been taken. ^



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29140593