At least eight civilians have been killed in the past 24 hours and 22 wounded in fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian troops in the separatist stronghold of Donetsk.
For the past decade, wealthy Russians have flocked to the fabled slopes in the French Alps. But the drop in the ruble is now keeping them away, and the region's economy is starting to feel the effect.
A series of military confrontations and growing tensions between Western Europe and Russia show how ill-prepared European countries are after years of cutbacks.
Petro Poroshenko says that the only way forward in ending the conflict with Russian-backed separatists in the country's east is to revive a cease-fire agreement forged in September in Minsk.
Russia is jailing three prominent figures from Ukraine and Estonia on what critics say are highly questionable charges. The cases also reflect the friction between Russia and its neighbors.