KIEV, Oct. 17 - A prominent Russian separatist commander was assassinated in eastern Ukraine on Sunday evening, his allies said on Monday, accusing Ukrainian government forces of murdering him to try to destabilize an already fragile ceasefire, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Oct. 16 – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has thanked his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama and the U.S. administration for their support of Ukraine and its peace plan, Poroshenko's press service reported, referring to a recent telephone conversation between the two leaders.

KIEV, Oct. 16 – Scrutinization of senior officials and civil servants in accordance with the new disclosure law will start on November 1, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said.

BRUSSELS/KIEV, Oct. 16 – There has been no interruption in gas transit through Ukraine's territory since June 16, when Russia stopped gas shipments to Ukraine, but one should not rule out the possibility of such a problem, European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger has said.

KIEV, Oct. 16 – President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday signed a law on special self-government procedures in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the presidential press service reported.

KIEV, Oct. 16 - The International Monetary Fund's mission to Ukraine will determine at the end of October how much additional financial aid Kiev needs, central bank Governor Valeria Gontareva said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

MOSCOW, Oct. 16 - Russia will reduce gas supplies to Europe if Ukraine steals from the transit pipeline to cover its own needs, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, adding that he was "hopeful" it would not come to that.

KIEV, Oct. 16 - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko will look for ways to settle a dispute over natural gas supplies and end months of conflict in east Ukraine at talks in Italy on Friday, Reuters reported.

KIEV, Oct. 17 – Some 53% of Ukrainians support entry into the European Union, 35% do not, and 12% cannot make up their mind, according to the Rating Sociological Group, which held a poll from September 26 to October 6.

KIEV, Oct. 17 - Ukraine, with the help of foreign investments, will double natural gas output within the next five to seven years, President Viktor Yanukovych said Thursday.