Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- August 13, 2014

As Showdown Looms, Humanitarian Situation Worsens in Eastern Ukraine -- Voice of America

As Ukraine promises to deny entrance to a convoy of nearly 300 Russian trucks carrying what Russia says are aid to civilians in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, the humanitarian situation is worsening in the region's besieged cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

As the Russian convoy nears the border, Ukrainian and Western officials fear that Moscow is planning to exploit a worsening crisis in east Ukraine by cloaking a military mission in the guise of a humanitarian aid convoy.

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Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- August 13, 2014

Ukraine crisis: death toll doubles to 2,080 within just two weeks as army warns it will block 'Putin humanitarian aid convoy' -- The Independent
Death Toll In Ukraine Conflict Doubles In 2 Weeks, Reaches 2,086 - UN -- RT
Ukraine death toll doubles to more than 2,000 -- CBC/Reuters
UN says Ukraine death toll doubled in 2 weeks -- Times of Israel/AFP

Twelve Ukrainian nationalist fighters killed in separatist ambush -- Reuters
12 Ukraine militiamen killed in ambush, others kidnapped -- CBS/AP
Nationalist fighters killed in Ukraine -- Al Jazeera

Donetsk militia commander Strelkov badly wounded — agency -- ITAR-TASS
Kyiv’s troops surround separatist stronghold Donetsk, civilian casualties high -- Euronews
Ukraine Crisis: Shelling intensified on rebel-held city of Donetsk -- AP
Ukraine denies using artillery in cities despite mounting evidence -- Kyiv Post
Ukraine conflict: Under siege in Luhansk -- BBC
Luhansk has no power, water, telephone service for 11 days -- Kyiv Post
Caught In Cross-Fire, Civilians In Eastern Ukraine Suffer -- NPR

Russian convoy to Ukraine abruptly changes course -- CNN
Ukraine accuses Russia of cynicism over convoy; death toll rises sharply -- Reuters
Russian army’s aid convoy will be turned away by Ukraine -- AP
Russian humanitarian aid convoy 'pushes south to Ukraine' -- BBC
Russia and Ukraine set for tense stand off over 'aid' convoy -- The Telegraph
Huge Russian aid convoy set to reach Ukraine border within hours -- The Guardian
Ukraine Minister Denounces Russian Aid Convoy -- VOA
Ukraine vows to block Russian 'aid' convoy -- Al Jazeera
Kyiv and the West oppose Kremlin’s aid mission to Ukraine -- Euronews
Luhansk to be final point for aid convoy — Donetsk Republic vice-premier -- ITAR-TASS
What's REALLY in 300-vehicle Russian 'humanitarian' convoy heading for Ukraine? Fears it could be cover for 'permanent Russian military presence' -- Daily Mail

Tank Tracks and Training Camps Belie Russia's Involvement in Eastern Ukraine -- Newsweek/Reuters
Scarred by Ukraine Crossfire, Slovyansk Faces Long Road of Recovery -- Moscow Times
Ukraine's Currency Hits a New Low -- WSJ
Ukraine's Rebels Worship the Past, Not God -- Geraldine Fagan, Moscow Times
Aid or invasion? Question looms as Russian convoy nears Ukraine -- Michael Pearson and Lindsay Isaac, CNN