The Ukrainians made a significant gain in their east under siege by Russian infiltration and subversion:
Ukrainian government forces reclaimed the port city of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists in heavy fighting on Friday and said they had regained control of a long stretch of the border with Russia.
The advances are significant victories for the pro-European leadership in a military operation to crush the armed separatist rebellion that began in east Ukraine in April and hold the former Soviet republic of 45 million together.
So, huzzah!
Hopefully the Russians don't react by sending in more heavy armor for the separatists as the Ukrainians claim:
Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of allowing separatist rebels to bring three tanks and other military vehicles across the border into the east of the country to fight the Ukrainian army. ...
"We have observed columns passing with armoured personnel carriers, other armoured vehicles and artillery pieces, and tanks which, according to our information, came across the border and this morning were in Snizhnye," Avakov told reporters in Kiev.
I'm so desperate for a non humiliation abroad lately. I'll take what I can get.
UPDATE: We are backing Ukraine's accusation:
The State Department confirmed on Friday that Russia had sent tanks and other heavy weapons to separatists in Ukraine.
I do not trust the Russians. How could anyone?
UPDATE: Cut short my huzzahs:
Pro-Russia separatists shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane Saturday, killing all 49 crew and troops aboard in a bloody escalation of the conflict in the country's restive east.
Remember, we patted ourselves on the back for mobilizing the world community to halt Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
