Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- June 17, 2014

Pro-Russia Militia In Ukraine Seeks Urgent Help From Moscow -- Wall Street Journal

The Kremlin Hasn't Responded to the Request That Comes as Ukrainian Forces Retake Borders Areas

MOSCOW—Leaders of an armed pro-Russia uprising in eastern Ukraine said Tuesday that they needed urgent help from Moscow to resist an advance by Kiev's forces that has accelerated in recent days.

So far, Russia has given little sign it intends to invade and annex Ukraine's east, as it did with Crimea in March, and hasn't responded to repeated requests to send troops.

Ukrainian government troops in recent days pushed from the north and south to retake control of some border areas around separatist-controlled territories in an attempt to cut off the fighters and weapons that Kiev says are flowing from Russia.

After seizing the large port town of Mariupol on Friday, Ukrainian forces on Tuesday advanced toward the outskirts of Luhansk, the capital of Ukraine's easternmost region and separatist stronghold.

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Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- June 17, 2014

Ukrainian forces, rebels clash near Russian border -- Reuters
Dozens Injured in Clashes Near Russian Border, Ukraine Says -- Moscow Times/Reuters
Thirty-one Ukraine soldiers injured in Amvrosiivka district of Donbas -- Kyiv Post
Ukraine's military continues shelling cities in Donetsk, Luhansk regions -- ITAR-TASS
Fighting continues in Ukraine's Luhansk region -- ITAR-TASS
Thirty Ukraine Soldiers Injured Near Russia's Border -- Breitbart
Ukraine Denies Using White Phosphorus in Slaviansk -- Ria Novosti
Dispatch from Donetsk: Bodies in the Street, Gunshots at Night -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Donetsk and Lugansk areas after shelling -- Voice of Russia
Ukraine Says Russia Has 38,000 Troops on Border Amid ‘Invasion’ -- Bloomberg
Russian troops 'returning to Ukraine border areas' weeks after withdrawing following Western pressure and one day after cutting off gas supply to the country -- Daily Mail
Yarema: 125 Ukrainian soldiers killed during east Ukraine operation -- Kyiv Post
Shutov suspended because of downed Il-76 plane near Luhansk -- Kyiv Post
Donetsk, Luhansk leaders say contacts with presidential settlement envoy are impossible -- ITAR Tass
Parubiy: No decision on martial law in Luhansk, Donetsk regions so far -- Interfax-Ukraine
Water supply cut off to four towns in Donetsk region -- Voice of Russia
Ukraine’s National Bank suspends payments, settlements in Donetsk -- ITAR-TASS

WNU Editor: This caught my eye .... Ukraine's Land Agency give land to soldiers in the east for free (Kyiv Post). Asset and property seizures have been reported nonstop since the downfall of the Yanukovich government by the interim Ukraine government and by "non-governmental" Ukrainian nationalist groups. Reports like this one is only going to feed into eastern worries that those who support separation will have their homes and assets seized.