Events in Ukraine on 03 November 2014.

Briefly about the most important today's events in our digest of events

that have happened in Ukraine today

NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE COUNCIL: Russian troops are in Lugansk and Donetsk; they do not disguise themselves any more

Russia has transferred its troops to territories, controlled by militants, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council Andriy Lysenko reported at a briefing on Monday.

"We have evidence that Russian military are present in Donetsk and Lugansk", he added.

According to Lysenko, there were no armed clashes along the state border outside the ATO area yesterday.

Militants have assaulted ATO positions near the Bakhmutka highway; 7 attacks in total

Rebels carried out seven attacks on inhabited settlements in Donbas region, and stormed the Donetsk airport as well as positions of ATO forces at the highway leading to Bakhmutka,  ATO press centre reported on the morning of November 3.

Rebels mortared the Donetsk airport the night before. They fired from the settlement of Sokolnyky. There are no casualties among Ukrainian troops", the press centre adds.

The situation near Mariupol is under control, four overflights of unmanned aerial vehicles were registered yesterday, they said.

4 rebel batteries consist by more than 50 per cent of Russian mercenaries

The insurgents have formed 4 batteries - Lugansk, Gorlivka-Donetsk, Volnovakha-Telmanove and Novoazovsk - which consist of 24-27 thousand people, Dmytro Tymchuk reported in his Facebook. .

According to information provided by the "IR" group, each of these batteries numbers about 14-15 thousand Russian mercenaries and soldiers, as well as 10-12 thousand rebels from local gangs".

Bilous: State Budget might fail to receive about UAH 1,6 billion due to the "war" in Donbas

The State Budget of Ukraine may fall short of UAH 1,6 billion because of hostilities going on in eastern regions of Ukraine, while the September figure amounted to UAH 1,8 billion, Chair of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Igor Bilous announced in an interview with  Interfax-Ukraine.

National Security Council: no soldier died in the past 24 hours

No casualties were reported among Ukrainian military in the past 24 hours in the ATO area, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council Andriy Lysenko reported on Monday.

"We had zero casualties in the past 24 hours: No soldier either died or was injured", Lysenko said.

National Security Council: Terrorists have bombarded roadblock №31

Terrorists have stormed roadblock №31 in Lugansk region using heavy armaments, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council Andriy Lysenko reported at a traditional briefing on Monday.

Insurgents have been showing significant activity near the Donetsk airport, which was mortared yesterday, as well as in Stanichno-Lugansk, Slovyanoserbsk and Popasna districts of Lugansk region.

They also carried out attacks on roadblock №31 near the village of Frunze, Slovyanoserbsk district, using Grad volley fire systems and machine-guns.

NBU: Ukraine's GDP has fallen by 3.5 % within 9 month

January-September 2014 showed a 3.5 %fall in gross domestic product (GDP) of Ukraine, Head of National Bank of Ukraine Valeriya Hontareva announced with a reference to NBU assessments, as reported by " Interfax-Ukraine ".

She also stressed, it may turn out that the final statistical data could be even better than those expected.

As it has been reported recently, the International Monetary Fund predicts a fall in Ukraine's GDP   down to minus 6.5 % in 2014.

Merkel's spokesperson: It is impossible now to repeal sanctions against Russia

There is no chance for sanctions against the Russian Federation to be repealed after the RF revealed its willingness to recognize the recent elections in self-proclaimed "PRD" and "PRL", an official spokesperson for the German Chancellor, Steffen Seibert, asserted as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

Russia's official statements about respect for and recognition of the so-called elections cannot be understood, he said