Ukraine government forces continue to pound pro-Russian positions in Donetsk and Luhansk.<br /><br />Kyiv now controls the town of Novosvitlivka, which lies on the road to Luhansk, the route the Russian aid convoy is expected to take if it crosses the rebel-held border into Ukraine.<br /><br />In a further blow to separatists Donetsk rebel leader Igor Girkin has resigned, he joins Aleksandr Borodai and Valeriy Bolotov, all high ranking pro-Russians, to have quit in the past seven days.<br /><br />Fighting in the Donetsk region has claimed the lives of 74 people in the last 72-hours, with residents spending days hiding in cellars to avoid the violence.<br /><br />In the capital Kyiv the parliament approved a law to impose sanctions on Russian companies and individuals supporting separatist actions in the east of Ukraine.<br /><br />Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed the house: “If there is a threat to Ukraine’s national security, the head of state will have the right to impose certain sanctions of the same kind that have been imposed by our western partners.”<br /><br />As the pressure on the pro-Russians intensifies Kyiv is <br />hopeful that government forces will have retaken control of Donetsk by August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day.
