Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- July 22, 2015

Reuters: Ceasefire brings limited respite for east Ukrainians

Natalya Brazhnikova goes to sell bread each day at a badly charred market on the outskirts of Donetsk in east Ukraine despite the risk of shelling and gunfire.

Since her husband lost his job when the local coalmine closed because of fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists, their family has depended on the money she makes to survive.

Many other residents of the Oktyabrsky district on the northwestern edge of separatist-held Donetsk have fled. Those who remain face a struggle to survive even though a ceasefire was agreed in east Ukraine in February.

Brazhnikova, who is in her 40s, counts herself lucky that her stand near a bus stop was not destroyed when the market was hit by shelling and caught fire.

WNU Editor: One of the side stories that is making the rounds in Kiev are suspicions (and speculations) that the U.S. may have compromised with Russia on what to do with Ukraine in order to get Moscow's support on the Iranian nuclear deal .... Putin never gives away anything for free. Was Ukraine the cost of cooperation in Iran? (Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg). I personally would not be surprised if an understanding between Moscow and Washington was reached, but the events in Ukraine are still primarily driven by the Ukrainians themselves, and as long as they cannot come to an agreement amongst themselves, this conflict is only going to keep on brewing.

Ukraine Crisis News Updates -- July 22, 2015

Five Ukrainian servicemen injured in Donbas over past day -- Kyiv Post
Ukraine, Russian-backed militants reach preliminary deal to extend weapons withdrawal -- Ukraine Today
Ukraine, Rebels Reach Preliminary Deal to Extend Weapons Pull-Back -- VOA
Situation tense in east Ukraine as militants fire artillery and tanks -- Ukraine Today
Russian Defense Ministry disowns officers captured in east Ukraine -- Ukraine Today
Top U.S. General Backs Giving Lethal Weapons To Ukraine -- Radio Free Europe
Eyeing Russia, US leads fresh military drills in Ukraine -- AFP
Kremlin criticizes NATO over drills in Ukraine -- Deutsche Welle
US-led drills in Ukraine may threaten peace process: Moscow -- AFP
Ukrainians struggling as their economy shrinks -- BBC
Controversial Russian politician named deputy in Ukraine -- AFP
Russian Ex-PM's Daughter Under Fire for Leaving for Ukraine -- VOA
Interpol takes deposed Ukraine leader off wanted list -- AFP
Gérard Depardieu a ‘national security threat’ to Ukraine -- France 24
How to Make a Country Vanish: A Journey Inside Eastern Ukraine -- Amie Ferris-Rotman, The Atlantic
Ukraine Can’t Survive On Its Own -- Tom Daschle, Politico
Crucial Weapons in the Defense of Ukraine: Without debt reduction and more aid, a young democracy could vanish. -- Stephen J. Hadley And Robert B. Zoellick, WSJ
How Do You Solve A Problem Like The Donbas? -- Brian Whitmore, Radio Free Europe