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| Ukraine Proposes ‘Special Status’ for Breakaway Regions | Ukraine Proposes ‘Special Status’ for Breakaway Regions |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — In keeping with a provision of a recent cease-fire agreement with separatists, the Ukrainian government submitted a draft law to Parliament on Monday that would grant “special status” to the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions for three years. | KIEV, Ukraine — In keeping with a provision of a recent cease-fire agreement with separatists, the Ukrainian government submitted a draft law to Parliament on Monday that would grant “special status” to the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions for three years. |
| The main points include amnesty for those who participated in the “events” in those regions; the right to use Russian as an official language; the election of local councils; funds for social and economic development from the state budget; and the right to form local police forces. | The main points include amnesty for those who participated in the “events” in those regions; the right to use Russian as an official language; the election of local councils; funds for social and economic development from the state budget; and the right to form local police forces. |
| But it is not clear that the law, if it passes, would be acceptable to the separatist leaders or their patron in Moscow, President Vladimir V. Putin. | But it is not clear that the law, if it passes, would be acceptable to the separatist leaders or their patron in Moscow, President Vladimir V. Putin. |
| One of the sticking points in future negotiations involving Russia is expected to be the degree of autonomy, with Moscow pushing from the beginning of the conflict for a federal system that would allow for the regions to maintain independent foreign relations. Some analysts say that the Kremlin is seeking a system that would allow the east to veto attempts by Kiev to draw closer to the West. | One of the sticking points in future negotiations involving Russia is expected to be the degree of autonomy, with Moscow pushing from the beginning of the conflict for a federal system that would allow for the regions to maintain independent foreign relations. Some analysts say that the Kremlin is seeking a system that would allow the east to veto attempts by Kiev to draw closer to the West. |
| In presenting the bill to parliamentary leaders, President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine also specified that the amnesty would not cover those who had committed violent crimes — premeditated murder, rape and pillage, among others. | In presenting the bill to parliamentary leaders, President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine also specified that the amnesty would not cover those who had committed violent crimes — premeditated murder, rape and pillage, among others. |
| The president explained that the law contained “de facto elements of decentralization” while keeping Ukraine whole, according to a statement on the presidential website. | The president explained that the law contained “de facto elements of decentralization” while keeping Ukraine whole, according to a statement on the presidential website. |
| Mr. Poroshenko also said that the three-year life of the law would allow time for changes in the Constitution that would bring “profound decentralization” throughout Ukraine. “There is nothing more important for us than peace,” he said. “These are the key positions that will ensure it.” | Mr. Poroshenko also said that the three-year life of the law would allow time for changes in the Constitution that would bring “profound decentralization” throughout Ukraine. “There is nothing more important for us than peace,” he said. “These are the key positions that will ensure it.” |
| In the restive southeast, it was reported Monday that six international monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had come under artillery fire and been pinned down for three hours in a village south of Donetsk on Sunday afternoon despite the cease-fire, a spokesman said Monday. | In the restive southeast, it was reported Monday that six international monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had come under artillery fire and been pinned down for three hours in a village south of Donetsk on Sunday afternoon despite the cease-fire, a spokesman said Monday. |
| None of the organization’s personnel involved were injured, but their two armored vehicles were damaged, one so badly that it had to be abandoned. | None of the organization’s personnel involved were injured, but their two armored vehicles were damaged, one so badly that it had to be abandoned. |
| “It’s the first time we have taken live fire in six months,” said Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for the mission in Ukraine. “We need a secure environment in order to work.” | “It’s the first time we have taken live fire in six months,” said Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for the mission in Ukraine. “We need a secure environment in order to work.” |
| The principal job of the organization’s monitors, who are unarmed, is to gather information on security in the region. The organization helped mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine that led to the Sept. 5 cease-fire and to the still hazy outlines of a political solution. | The principal job of the organization’s monitors, who are unarmed, is to gather information on security in the region. The organization helped mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine that led to the Sept. 5 cease-fire and to the still hazy outlines of a political solution. |
| While the large offensive operations between Ukrainian forces and rebel fighters, backed by Russian soldiers and artillery, have ended, both sides frequently breach the cease-fire by trading artillery fire and sometimes rifle fire. | While the large offensive operations between Ukrainian forces and rebel fighters, backed by Russian soldiers and artillery, have ended, both sides frequently breach the cease-fire by trading artillery fire and sometimes rifle fire. |
| The shooting on Sunday occurred in the village of Debaltseve, 40 miles northeast of the regional capital, Donetsk. The area is a crossover point between Ukrainian and rebel front lines on the route to the site of the Malaysia Airlines jet that crashed more than two months ago. | |
| Leaders of the O.S.C.E. mission met with the prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, on Monday. Afterward, Mr. Zakharchenko said the monitors had driven into a front-line area without a warning and ran into an exchange of fire between the two sides. “The place they were driving was in the middle of the front line,” he told journalists. “The Ukrainians fired, and we retaliated.” | Leaders of the O.S.C.E. mission met with the prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, on Monday. Afterward, Mr. Zakharchenko said the monitors had driven into a front-line area without a warning and ran into an exchange of fire between the two sides. “The place they were driving was in the middle of the front line,” he told journalists. “The Ukrainians fired, and we retaliated.” |
| “We let them know in order for such problems not to occur, they need to inform us about their route,” he added, referring to the monitors. | “We let them know in order for such problems not to occur, they need to inform us about their route,” he added, referring to the monitors. |
| Mr. Zakharchenko said Debaltseve was far from the crash site, and that Dutch experts who were expected to visit the site soon would be protected by rebel forces. “We control the territory of the crash site, and we are able to provide security for these experts,” he said. | Mr. Zakharchenko said Debaltseve was far from the crash site, and that Dutch experts who were expected to visit the site soon would be protected by rebel forces. “We control the territory of the crash site, and we are able to provide security for these experts,” he said. |
| More than 600 miles west of Donetsk, not far from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, forces from 15 nations participated Monday in United States-led military exercises. The United States was expected to send about 200 troops. | More than 600 miles west of Donetsk, not far from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, forces from 15 nations participated Monday in United States-led military exercises. The United States was expected to send about 200 troops. |