Ukraine Live Day 397: Despite Broken Ceasefire, Some Optimism in Kiev-Moscow Gas Talks

March 21, 2015
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (L) meets with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, March 18, 2015. | Ukraine was reportedly high on the agenda at the meeting | Ekaterina Shtukina / RIA Novosti

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Ukraine Says 2 Soldiers, 1 Civilian Killed in Shelling, and Russia Is Still Supplying Weapons

According to the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, it has been another bloody day in Ukraine, with Russian-backed militants continuing their attacks near Lugansk, Donetsk, and Mariupol:

This has been the central criticism from the Ukrainian government — that the separatists are moving equipment around rather than withdrawing it.

The OSCE has also been largely unable to confirm whether heavy artillery and other equipment is actually withdrawing from the front lines. 

In other news, while Ukraine’s “winter package” of gas supplies from Russia is expiring, RFE/RL reports that both sides have agreed to draft proposals for the next meeting on a gas extension to be held in April. According to that report, Kiev says it does not need to buy any Russian gas for the next month.

James Miller