Malaysian plane crashes on Ukraine-Russia border - live

[Igel]

204. You need a map.

They control a narrow strip along the border from Donets'k oblast up to near Krasnopartizansk, the Ivaryne border crossing where even RIA Novosti has finally gotten around to posting without comment the footage of Grad fire from a mile or so inside Russian territory near the town of Gukovo.

There are repeated clashes near Saur-Mogila (which is a high point that the rebels retook last week) near D'yakovo, where the 72nd motorized is pinned down. Fighting continues around Krasnodon, Krasnopartizansk. They're having trouble fending off assaults in both areas. If you're going to take missile batteries in to that area, you'd want them for fending off the ground forces making mincemeat out of your men, not for fighting the non-existent (or nearly so--depends who you talk to) DNR/LNR air force.

At the same time there have been frequent UAV incursions and chopper incursions across the Russian border. Oddly, these are much easier to shoot down. Some UAVs have been shot down--AK fire can do that, as Afghanistan fighters can tell you. No choppers have been brought down. At least not by the Ukrainians. We don't count the one downed during the ceasefire.

The official policy is to surround the DNR and LNR. You don't surround a city by plunging into the middle.