Deprived of Coal, Kiev Increasingly Desperate. Blackouts Imminent

``A shortage of coal, rather than gas, is likely to plunge Ukraine into freezing darkness this winter as conflict in its east seals off supplies that used to make it self sufficient... Ukraine was self-sufficient in coal, producing more than 60 million tonnes last year, but since June separatist fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions has halted production from 66 coal mines, leaving only 60 running, European coal association Euracoal said.''