U.K. calls for Savchenko release, denounces Russian saber-rattling:
Britain has called on Russia to free detained Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko and says it will not be intimidated by President Vladimir Putin's "saber-rattling."
Savchenko, who has become a symbol of resistance in Ukraine to Russian aggression, is being held in Moscow on charges of aiding the killing of two Russian journalists in east Ukraine last year.
She has been weakened by a hunger strike against what she says are politically motivated charges.
British Europe Minister David Lidington told Savchenko in a letter London was pressing Moscow for her release.
"During 12 months of incarceration you have shown immense courage and resilience," he wrote, calling on Russia to live up to its international commitments.
Separately, while visiting Estonia, British Defense Minister Michael Fallon criticized Putin for his plan to add intercontinental ballistic missiles to Russia's nuclear arsenal.
"This is clearly saber-rattling clearly designed to provoke, designed to intimidate. It won't do that," Fallon said. "We are prepared to modernize our defenses and do whatever is necessary to reassure as well as to deter." (Reuters, TASS)
NATO chief says Russia acting irresponsibly:
NATO's top military commander says that Russia's planned purchase of new missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads is not appropriate for a responsible nuclear power.
"This is not a way that responsible nuclear nations behave," U.S. Air Force General and NATO supreme allied commander Philip Breedlove said.
"A rhetoric which ratchets up tensions in a nuclear sense is not a responsible behavior and we seek and ask that these [nuclear] nations handle this particular type of weapon in a more responsible way," he added.
President Vladimir Putin said on June 16 that Russia would add more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year.
The Russian leader also said he was not particularly worried about a U.S. plan to possibly station heavy weaponry in Eastern Europe.
But on June 17, the Kremlin said Russia did not want to enter a costly new arms race with the West, saying it would hurt the country’s economy.
"We are against any arms race because it naturally weakens our economic capabilities," presidential aide Yury Ushakov said on June 17. "In principle we are against it." (Reuters, AFP)
This ends our live blogging for June 17. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.
Prosecutor: Ukrainian soldiers confess to murdering civilians:
The prosecutor's office for the Kyiv-controlled part of Ukraine's Donetsk region says two Ukrainian servicemen have confessed to murdering a mother and daughter after suspecting them of separatist sympathies.
A statement from the prosecutor's office said a 77-year-old woman and her 45-year-old daughter died of gunshot wounds to the head after the soldiers entered their house in the village of Luhanske on June 15 and fired automatic weapons.
"Two Ukrainian soldiers, who are 23 and 25 years old, have been detained. They have confessed to the murder," it said, without giving further details.
Luhanske is in government hands but lies close to the front line with rebel forces.
Since April last year, Ukrainian forces have been battling a pro-Russian rebellion in the east of the country.
The United Nations estimates that the war in Ukraine has claimed at least 6,454 lives since it broke out last April.
A cease-fire was signed in February, but fighting has continued sporadically. (Reuters, AP)