Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- March 18, 2015

Bloomberg: Ukraine Backs New Status in Rebel East as Troop Deaths Mount

(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine approved a special status for separatist-held regions as part of the latest efforts toward peace in the nation’s east, where three soldiers died in some of the worst violence since last month’s truce.

The parliament in Kiev, the capital, also appealed Tuesday to the United Nations and the European Union to send peacekeepers to the Donbas, which is partly controlled by pro-Russian insurgents after 11 months of fighting. Russia expanded military drills in its south and sent bombers to Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine a year ago.

Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- March 18, 2015

Ukraine rebels warn they could abandon cease-fire -- AP
Ukraine reinforces defences in east Ukraine amid fears of renewed Russian attacks -- Ukraine Today
Ukraine: The defenders of Mariupol -- Al Jazeera
Ukraine posts video of Russian troops captured fighting in east Ukraine -- Ukraine Today
Ukraine plans to regain control over Donbas by all means — PM Yatsenyuk -- Itar-Tass
Ukraine conflict leaves Donetsk families divided and apart -- BBC
Ukrainian leaders travel abroad in search of political, financial and military support -- Kyiv Post
Ukraine's Parliament Passes Bill To Let Foreign Militaries For Joint Drills -- RTT
Poroshenko Signs Law on Donbas Special Status -- Sputnik
Parliament Speaker Signs List of Donbas Regions to Receive Special Status -- Sputnik
Ukraine and Russia Lock Horns as Cease-Fire Crumbles -- Moscow Times/Reuters
Ukraine and Russian diplomats ‘bandy words’ in a bad tempered OSCE meeting -- Euronews
Ukraine, Moscow clash over rebel autonomy laws -- 7 News/AFP
Donetsk, Luhansk Leaders Refuse Compromise With Ukraine On Special Status; Lavrov Condemns Law -- IBTimes
‘Glaring breach’: Minsk ‘violation’ sees Russia urge France, Germany to act on Ukraine -- RT
Russia, Rebels Say Kyiv Violates Ukraine Peace Deal -- Radio Free Europe
Russia says Ukraine law on autonomy violates peace deal -- AFP
Russians accuse Kiev of ceasefire violations, poll shows -- RT
Q&A: Russia accuses Ukraine of violating ceasefire -- Roman Olearchyk, Financial Times
Obama, Merkel reiterate no easing of sanctions on Russia -- Reuters
Putin’s Reckless Without Any Provocation, U.S. Commander Says -- Bloomberg
UN Security Council to meet Thursday on Crimea -- AFP
Foul stench in rebel-held east Ukraine as war hits water treatment -- Reuters
Ukraine Faces Collapse in Foreign Trade -- Sputnik
Financial crunch for Ukraine in dispute with Russia -- Winnipeg Free Press/Washington Post
Ukraine crisis takes its toll on country’s oligarchs -- Financial Times
Lost successes of Ukraine: startups register abroad to escape bad business climate -- Kyiv Post
Life in Ukraine After One Year of War (Photo Gallery) -- Bloomberg