Here's some more details on how the latest cease-fire is holding up, courtesy of RFE/RL's news desk:
Ukraine's Fragile Cease-Fire Holds For Third Day Despite Violations
A new cease-fire negotiated between Ukraine's government and Russia-backed separatists in the east held by a thread for a third day as both sides reported clashes near the strategic town of Debaltseve.
The two sides agreed to the so-called "indefinite" cease-fire last week, with the help of mediation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the agreement reached on December 21 was a sign that his war-weary nation is on a road to lasting peace after nine previously negotiated cease-fires came unraveled.
Mortar and artillery fire has continued without any casualties.
"Our positions have come under attack 33 times since early Sunday," the Ukrainian military said in a statement.
Russian-backed separatists said their side had come under fire from Ukrainian grenade launchers 62 times in the past day.
The truce came after a battle for control of Debaltseve, which sits on a key rail link between the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The two sides agreed to a similar holiday truce last year. It lasted for several weeks before fighting slowly resumed.
As of December 1, the UN's "conservative estimate" of the death toll among civilians and combatants since the conflict erupted in April 2014 is 9,758, with another 22,779 people injured.
Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax
Judging by this map of the latest situation in the Donbas conflict zone according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the current cease-fire still seems pretty shaky:
Here's an excerpt:
The more one delves into banking in Ukraine, the more difficulties emerge. As soon as one problem has been resolved, a new one appears. The problems are many but they can be resolved.
The first big headache is to get paid.
Especially big Ukrainian businessmen have a habit of not paying anybody, which is a convenient way of enrichment for many in the elite. To begin with the legal base needs to be improved. Creditors’ rights need to be reinforced so that bankers can claim collaterals of debtors and sell it off in case they do not pay. Half a dozen laws need to be promulgated.
The next problem is the judicial system, about which nothing positive can be said.
The Prosecutor General’s Office is famous for not going after important people, while it is seemingly quite successful at extortion. A new real office of prosecution needs to be built up with new staff.
The court system seems to get worse the higher up a matter gets. Therefore, serious cases are likely to lose. If contrary to expectation a sensible verdict is passed, the collection services of the Ministry of Justice have a rather poor reputation of not collecting. Private collection services have too restricted rights, which should be broadened.
In addition, Ukrainian banks have three big problems, their biggest customers, their managers and their owners. Many members of the Ukrainian elite enjoy parliamentary immunity, which they also apply toward banks.
Read more here.
A progress report of sorts: