The Ukraine "ceasefire" may be raging, but don't tell that to the "rebel", "separatists", "pro-Russian terrorists" or whatever it is that the ethnic Russians in east Ukraine are called nowadays, because a few short hours ago even Kiev finally admitted that the insurgency, with or without Russian backing, has finally hit the beach of the Azov Sea, which implicitly means that the only thing that is prevent the formation of a land connection from Russia to Crimea is the city of Mariupol, which as Ukraine reported overnight, it is now massing heavy weapons for what may be the most critical fight of the entire Ukraine civil war to date.

From AFP:

The Ukrainian authorities acknowledged on Thursday that pro-Russian rebels had extended their control over territory on the eastern border with Russia to the Sea of Azov. The announcement by the National Security and Defence Council follows a lightning offensive across the southeast area launched by the pro-Russian separatists last month.

How this looks on a map:

So while the Ukraine army is losing key strategic waypoints, the parliament speaker told Fokus magazine that Ukraine needs to regroup, strengthen army, and must open way to NATO membership, something which as Russia has made quite clear, will truly drive the Kremlin over the edge.

Meanwhile, for some inexplicable reason, the myth that a "ceasefire" continues is propagated by both Moscow and Kiev...