The Independent: Ukraine crisis: Fighting in Donetsk between army and Russian-backed rebels at highest level for months

WNU Editor: To say that the situation in Ukraine is grim is an understatement. Regular readers know that I have family and friends in Ukraine .... and all of them are telling me the same thing. The economy has imploded where only those with money stashed away or who have relatives living abroad are making ends meet, high unemployment is the norm, government services are being cut back or eliminated, political tensions are rising with nationalists leading the charge, and the war in eastern Ukraine is intensifying. No one is optimistic for the future, with everyone expecting the situation to get even worse. But as bad as the situation in Ukraine is, in eastern Ukraine the war is producing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis that the West has (so far) choose to ignore. The following Al Jazeera post sums up the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine .... In eastern Ukraine’s Miusynsk, pensioners struggle to survive winter (Al Jazeera).

More News On The Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine seals off roads to Donbas as fighting intensifies -- Kyiv Post
Intense Ukraine shelling traps hundreds of miners -- AFP
Fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine ahead of talks -- Financial Times
Ukraine says separatists intensifying attacks, troops killed -- AP
Ukraine Today: Ukrainian soldiers return to frontline; Lviv paratroopers continue fighting pro-Russian insurgents (VIDEO) -- Kyiv Post
Muslim Chechens Join pro-Russian Fighters in East Ukraine -- AP
Ukraine Unrest Worsens as Peace Summit Hangs on Berlin Talks -- Bloomberg
Renewed violence in Donetsk reduces hopes for Ukraine summit -- IBTimes
Ukraine, Russia raise stakes ahead of peace talks -- Defense News/AFP
Conflict in Donbas will be over in 2 weeks if Minsk agreements observed — Poroshenko -- ITAR-TASS
Poroshenko is bluffing about conflict in Donbas settlement in 2 weeks — DPR representative -- ITAR-TASS
Russia Warns Of Ukrainian Offensive Ahead Of Summit Talks -- London South East

'Normandy Format' Talks on Ukrainian Crisis Begin in Berlin -- Sputnik
Foreign Ministers Gather in Berlin to Seek Ukraine Progress -- AP
Germany Cautious About Breakthrough to Stalled Ukraine Talks -- WSJ
Foreign Ministers Gather In Berlin For Ukraine Meeting -- Radio Free Europe
Diplomats meet to save Ukraine peace summit -- News24
Foreign ministers plan Ukraine peace summit in heat of battle -- Expatica

Ukraine’s International Reserves Hit Lowest Level Since 2004 -- WSJ
Russia says Ukraine violates $3B bond terms -- AP
Russia says Ukraine has violated loan terms: agencies -- reuters

Ukrainian premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk: 'Safe Ukraine means a safe Europe' -- Deutsche Welle
Beneath the Front Lines of the War in Eastern Ukraine -- Andrew Katz, Time
In eastern Ukraine’s Miusynsk, pensioners struggle to survive winter -- Al Jazeera