Ukraine continues advancing in east
The Ukrainian military continues to tighten the noose around pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, most of which have fled to the regional capital of Donetsk, increasing the likelihood of a long and bloody struggle for control of the city.
Reuters reports that the Ukrainian military seized control of the two small villages of Krasnogorovka and Staromikhailovka. Both villages are located to the west of Donetsk.
The capture of these villages, plus the capture of the city of Luhansk earlier in the month will further limit the ability of the pro-Russia separatists to refresh their supplies of food and weaponry.
The capture of Luhansk is of particular strategic significance because of its proximity to the border with Russia. Men and weaponry continue to flow into Ukraine from Russia, so any position near the border is a boon to the Ukrainian forces. This is because one of their primary strategic concerns is securing the border with Russia.
In related news, a team of international investigators sent to determine the cause of the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has recovered more bodies.
The New York Times reports the team of Dutch and Australian investigators has discovered the remains of some of the 298 passengers who died when MH17 was shot out of the sky.
Although most the of bodies were recovered and repatriated to their home countries, it was estimated that around 80 were still unaccounted for, scattered amongst the fields of eastern Ukraine.
To aid in their search, the 80 or so investigators have divided the 14-square-mile crash site into a grid so that each location can be painstakingly examined. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are accompanying the investigators to ensure they can do their work unmolested by either Ukrainian or separatist forces.
