On Tuesday May 13^th, seven Ukrainian soldiers were ambushed and killed near the city of Kramatorsk, the latest violence coming out of eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry blamed the attack on “terrorists,” or pro-Russian separatists. The attack follows the vote on Monday in the eastern Ukraine regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to formally separate from the government in Kiev and to form their own republics, sparking fears of a civil war in the country. Further sanctions, such as visa bans and asset freezes, were enacted against Russians close to Vladimir Putin over the crisis in Ukraine as Russia is seen as fueling the conflict. Meanwhile, Kiev continues to face energy shortages and threatens to sue Russia, its largest source of gas, over prices.