Pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine

The new batch of EU sanctions against 13 representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics in eastern Ukraine and five organisations come into force on Saturday.

They were published in the Official Journal of the EU, with immediate effect. The sanctions includes asset freezes and travel bans within the EU.

France's President Francois Hollande has announed the delivery of a Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia is now suspended until further notice.

Paris has cited the ongoing unrest in Ukraine's east as a reason.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has claimed 7500 members of the Russian armed forces are present in his country, "preventing" Kiev from stabilizing the situation in the Donbass.

On Saturday Poltorak issued a statement reading that "unfortunately the stabilization of the situation in the east of Ukraine does not depend only on us."

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West on Nov. 22 of trying to use sanctions imposed on Moscow in the Ukraine crisis to seek "regime change" in Russia. 

His comments stepped up Moscow's war of words with the United States and the European Union in their worst diplomatic standoff since the Cold War ended. 

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West on Nov. 22 of trying to use sanctions imposed on Moscow in the Ukraine crisis to seek "regime change" in Russia. 

His comments stepped up Moscow's war of words with the United States and the European Union in their worst diplomatic standoff since the Cold War ended. 

B92 in Ukrainian village "destroyed by everyone"

STEPANOVKA -- As Kiev and Moscow exchange accusations of violations of agreements and a lack of desire to end the conflict, clashes continue daily near the Donetsk airport.

NATO warned on Nov. 18 of a "very serious" build-up of Russian soldiers and weapons inside Ukraine and on its border as Germany's foreign minister urged Kyiv and Moscow to respect a tattered peace plan.
      
The West is keeping up pressure on Russia over Ukraine following a bad-tempered G20 summit in Australia at the weekend which Russian President Vladimir Putin left early.

Russia said on Nov. 18 it hopes its ties with the EU had not yet crossed the point of no return over the Ukraine crisis after Brussels slapped more sanctions against Kremlin-backed separatists fighting Kiev.
      
"We are hoping that the 'point of no return' has not yet been crossed," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting in the Belarussian capital Minsk.

The French government has decided to put a hold on the delivery of two Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia.

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Russia accused of "fueling war"

NEW YORK -- U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said during a UN Security Council meeting that Russia is talking about peace, but in reality constantly fueling war.