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Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a news conference at his country residence of Novo-Ogaryova outside Moscow on March 4.
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a news conference at his country residence of Novo-Ogaryova outside Moscow on March 4.

Live Blog: Ukraine On The Brink

Summary

-- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Kyiv as U.S. officials announced Washington is preparing a $1 billion aid package for Ukraine.

-- Speaking at a press conference at his residence, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the change of government in Ukraine an "unconstitutional overthrow and an armed seizure of power."

-- Putin also said there are no considerations to annex Crimea and no intentions to provoke separatist sentiment. He said it is up to the citizens of Crimea to determine their own future.

-- In Crimea, there are standoffs between Russian and Ukrainian troops in their bases, with conflicting reports of ultimatums given to Ukrainian troops to surrender that come and pass.

-- Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin has said that Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use the Russian military to restore law and order in his country.

-- In eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian demonstrators have occupied part of the regional government building in the city of Donetsk. Meanwhile, a few hundred pro-Russian activists tried but failed to force their way into the regional administration building in the southern city of Odesa.

NOTE: Live blog updates are listed according to local time in Kyiv

-- Glenn Kates / Luke Allnutt / Coilin O'Connor / Dan Wisniewski
09:52 21.2.2014
Shots fired near Kyiv's Independence Square. (Via the wires):

Shots have been fired near central Kyiv's Independence Square, where protesters are confronting security forces.

The Interior Ministry issued a statement blaming protesters for firing at police, and saying security forces fired back at protesters trying to head for Ukraine's parliament.

The statement did not say whether there had been any casualties.

The protesters did not immediately comment on the police statement.
09:42 21.2.2014
More reporting on the defection of the Lviv police. Ukraine's Channel 5 is speaking to some of them and the Moscow correspondent for the "Daily Telegraph" has this:

09:07 21.2.2014
This tweet was posted about 15 minutes ago by the editor of the English-language paper "The Kyiv Post:"

09:04 21.2.2014
08:52 21.2.2014
"The Kyiv Post" has published this partial list of the people killed in the clashes since February 18 -- 47 names so far.
08:42 21.2.2014
More compelling images from the clashes in Kyiv -- this time from "Telegraph" photographer David Rose
08:07 21.2.2014
07:54 21.2.2014
According to the news wires, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has urged caution over talk of a deal, while the German Foreign Ministry said "very difficult negotiations" had taken place through the night and that a "break" was taking place to continue talks "later on."
07:49 21.2.2014
Here's a link to the statement from President Yanukovych's office, regarding the conclusion of talks.
07:35 21.2.2014
Meanwhile, this report from the Russian daily "Kommersant" says 64 private jets sought permission to leave Kyiv airport yesterday.

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