krainian forces
© AFP Photo / Genya SavilovA convoy of military vehicles of the Ukrainian forces drives towards the eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk, in the region of Lugansk, on July 25, 2014.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called a ceasefire within a 40km radius of where Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed. Russia has urged all parties in eastern Ukraine to lay down their arms while inspectors investigate what caused the tragedy.

Thursday, July 31 19:38 GMT:

Russia's General Staff chief, Gen. Valery Gerasimov has called "unacceptable" the use by the Kiev military of combat air force, heavy - including rocket - artillery and missiles against civilians. The comment was made during a phone conversation with US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

11:57 GMT:

The press center for Kiev's "anti-terrorist operation" has announced that a humanitarian corridor was organized for the civilian population of Lugansk to ensure that first aid reaches the area.

This was also done with the aim "to secure the lives and health of residents of the temporarily occupied areas in the Lugansk region" as well as "to prevent the sabotage-reconnaissance groups and the leaders of terrorist groups from penetrating into other areas of Ukraine as refugees," the press center said on its Facebook page.

The ceasefire will be effective 200 meters to the left and right of the indicated corridor every day from 10 am till 4 pm.

11:12 GMT:

Ukraine's parliament has approved deals with the Netherlands and Australia, allowing them to send some 950 "armed personnel" to secure the MH17 crash site in war-torn east Ukraine, AFP reports.

10:56 GMT:

The Ukrainian military has stopped attacks near the MH17 crash site, but the eastern militia still conducts assaults in the area, the Facebook page of what Kiev calls "the anti-terrorist operation" (ATO) stated, as cited by Reuters.

"On July 31, troops involved in the active ATO phase are not conducting military operations apart from protecting their own positions from attack. But mercenary fighters of the Russian terrorists [sic] are not respecting any international agreements and requests," it said, referring to the anti-Kiev rebels in eastern Ukraine.

10:05 GMT:

Russian investigators are subject to systematic and purposeful fire, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin stated, as quoted by ITAR-TASS.

"Risking their lives, our investigators are fulfilling their duty in the region close to the Ukrainian border... Our investigation and operational groups are subject to purposeful and methodic fire, attacks from the Ukrainian military. But our guys, following our traditions, are no cowards, carry out their professional duty as they should," Bastrykin said.

"I gave the order to retreat, as soon as there is a life threat. We shouldn't lose a single person in these hard times," he added.

07:47 GMT:

Around 36,600 Ukrainian refugees, including 13,200 children, are staying at temporary accommodation centers in Russia, according to Emergencies Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Drobyshevsky.

"Russia's Emergencies Ministry is organizing work jointly with Russian regions for [the refugees'] accommodation and comprehensive support," he said, as cited by ITAR-TASS.

RT's Roman Kosarev have visited one of 497 centers for Ukrainian refugees to speak to those who've crossed over to Russia.


07:41 GMT:

Three civilians, including a teenager, have been killed over the last 24 hours in Lugansk, the city council said on its website.

"As a result of constant shelling three civilians, including a 15-year-old boy, died and seven civilians have been injured. The ambulance service had to respond to 84 calls," the council said in a statement.

03:22 GMT:

A total of 363 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and 1,434 people injured since the start of the military operation in eastern Ukraine, spokesman for the National Security and Defence Council Andrei Lysenko said.

01:29 GMT:

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) experts began a monitoring mission Wednesday along the Russian-Ukrainian border, visiting the border points of Gukovo and Donetsk. The monitors will be examining the situation at the border for at least three months.


Wednesday, July 30 22:18 GMT:

Spokeswoman of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Lugansk, Oksana Chigrina who was blacklisted by EU told RIA Novosti that was not upset by this news.

"I'm not upset. This does not affect my life. It will not get worse. I'm not planning to go to Europe, and even more so to the US. I am a patriot of my homeland."

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