Separatists

The "immense" costs of taking on four separatists regions in Ukraine come as Russia begins to feel the effects of economic sanctions imposed by the West.

"There is more escalation from Putin to come," retired Lieutenant General Robert Ashley told Newsweek.

The executive order will "provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Last week, the Maverick Party announced it had accepted Lich's resignation "with regret," citing her commitment to remain at the nation's capital.

High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt sent a report to the U.N. Security Council this week warning of Bosnian Serb separatism.

The kidnappers said they will not release the students until they have achieved their separatist goals.

"We are conscious that in this long period of struggle, we have created a lot of pain, including damages for which there is no solution," the group wrote in a statement Thursday.

Ukraine's president has dismissed the move as coming straight from the Kremlin.

Fighting flares in Avdiivka as electricity and water links fail for its trapped residents.

Ukrainian hacktivists claim to have leaked over 2,000 emails from Vladislav Surkov's inbox.

Thai authorities step up security at landmarks and airports after reports of foiled plots.

The region has been a breakaway strip of land since 1990.

A Ukrainian national was arrested driving into rebel-held Horlivka with hidden cash.

Police said the suspect had separatist connections and was from a Muslim-majority province.

Investigative group Bellingcat report "thousands of Russian servicemen" active in eastern Ukraine.

Luhansk rebels have confirmed the death of two militants near Kalynove.

Over 30 armored vehicles were recorded crossing what appears to be Luhansk city.

$3 billion is chump change for Putin, but payment could drive Ukraine into an acute currency crisis.

Ukraine's president will visit eastern regions on Wednesday but has not responded to the invite.

A vote on more autonomy for the eastern regions occupied by pro-Russian forces sparks violence.

Members of the battle-hardened Azov battalion are feeling sidelined.

Russian-backed artillery bombardment of Sartana, Ukraine, spurs the mayor to visit the library for inspiration.

'The notion that there is, or ever was, a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine is a farce.'

The pro-Russian separatists have access to a radioactive bunker. Kiev fears they plan to weaponize it.

What has repeatedly encouraged Putin to continue his invasion of Ukraine is weakness and bluff.

If Russia persuades the West to avoid former Soviet states as illiberal entities, the only winner will be Putin.

Donetsk rebels have dismissed the president's proposal as "Kiev trickery."

For all the armaments in Russia's arsenal, the country's strongest weapon remains its skewed interpretation of its past.

Russia denies sending troops to help separatist fighters in east Ukraine and says Alexander Alexandrov went on his own.

Attack puts pressure on G7 leaders meeting this weekend to tighten the sanctions against Putin and his oligarchs.