The Rundown -- April 15

# World Bulletin features RFE/RL map of Russian ties in FSU

# NPR cites RFE/RL coverage of Ukraine crisis

# "The Putin Doctrine: Myth, Provocation, Blackmail, or the Real Deal?" - Lilia Shetsova, The National Interest

# White House prepping new sanctions against Moscow

# Pentagon not happy with Russian jet buzzing Navy ship

# Kyiv "has lost its grip on East Ukraine"

# "Protesters in Ukraine's Restive East Feel Far from Kiev, Close to Russia" - James Marson, "Wall Street Journal"

# "Cossacks" in Slovyansk

# "Ukraine's Defense Dilemma" - Judy Dempsey, Carnegie

# Support for Russia has decreased in the South and East, according to recent polling

# Five possibile scenarios

# Video: Ostrovsky's dispatch from the "mean streets of Luhansk"

# Thirty lions at Crimean safari park face starvation

# Iran official voices concern over fate of nuclear power plant

# Iran wants UN committee meeting on U.S. ban of envoy

# Iran minister hints country could replace Russia as gas supplier to EU

# "Iraq’s Elections Setting Up ‘Worst Case Scenario’" - James Kitfield, Defense One

# "A Hedgehog and a Fox Explain Afghanistan" - Douglas Ollivant, Foreign Policy

# "America's Ugly Win in Afghanistan" - Andrew Peek, Fiscal Times

# Senior Taliban member goes missing in UAE

# RT's take on progress in Afghanistan

# Pakistan to release 12 Taliban militants

# New PM appointed in Armenia