12:29
26.2.2014
From the wires:
President Vladimir Putin has ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces in central and western Russia.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying that Putin ordered the test at 1400 Moscow time (eds: 1100 Prague time) on Wednesday.
The drills come as tensions continue in Ukraine, Russia's western neighbor, following the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying that Putin ordered the test at 1400 Moscow time (eds: 1100 Prague time) on Wednesday.
The drills come as tensions continue in Ukraine, Russia's western neighbor, following the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.
12:29
26.2.2014
Removing #Ukraine parliament gates may be a gesture at welcoming people in, just wondering whether they'll regret it pic.twitter.com/YFeIYaGlYb
— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 26, 2014
12:18
26.2.2014
There has been plenty of reporting about the lavish and gaudy mansions of the former Ukrainian leadership. But "The New York Times" has a piece looking at the fate of one unfinished palace, which was being built for Yanukovych. Now the builders have picked up their tools and gone home.
Chased from his sumptuous villa outside the Ukrainian capital and last sighted searching for a sanctuary here on the Crimean Peninsula, Viktor F. Yanukovych, the former president, suffered a final indignity on Tuesday: The masons and electricians he had hired to build a Pharaonic seaside retreat in a historic, old-growth forest decided that he would never pay his bills and started hauling away their equipment and materials.
One of the contractors picking up his materials on Tuesday, who gave his name only as Sergei, said he had not received any formal instructions to stop work, but, “We watch television so we can see what is happening and that we are not going to get paid.”
One of the contractors picking up his materials on Tuesday, who gave his name only as Sergei, said he had not received any formal instructions to stop work, but, “We watch television so we can see what is happening and that we are not going to get paid.”
12:00
26.2.2014
"Putin is a dictator", screaming 10K pro-Ukraine Tatars at the building of Crimea parl, 1K of ethnic Russians are noticably enraged
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) February 26, 2014
11:59
26.2.2014
#Ukraine's #hryvnia is sliding fast. Emergency funds needed quick to stop disastrous disorderly devaluation. pic.twitter.com/pkCZR8TSCC
— The EIU EEurope Team (@TheEIU_EEurope) February 26, 2014
11:28
26.2.2014
With things heating up in Crimea, three former Ukrainian presidents have accused Russia of meddling in the republic. From UNIAN and Interfax:
Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma, and Viktor Yushchenko, in a joint statement on Wednesday, accused Russia of "direct interference in the political life in Crimea."
The three former presidents warned against "dangerous recipes" proposed by some politicians and said law-enforcement agencies should look into separatist calls, allegations about violations of the rights of the Russian-speaking population, as well as the "fomenting of hostility" between Ukraine's regions and cases of "open disrespect of Ukraine's state symbols."
Pro-Russian activists have held rallies in Crimea following President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster, raising the Russian flag on government buildings.
The three former presidents warned against "dangerous recipes" proposed by some politicians and said law-enforcement agencies should look into separatist calls, allegations about violations of the rights of the Russian-speaking population, as well as the "fomenting of hostility" between Ukraine's regions and cases of "open disrespect of Ukraine's state symbols."
Pro-Russian activists have held rallies in Crimea following President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster, raising the Russian flag on government buildings.
11:25
26.2.2014
Espreso TV has a good feed of the Crimean Tatar demo in Simferopol.
Pro-Kiev Crimean tartar demo facing off against pro-Russian demo in Simferopol. What could possibly go wrong? Live: https://t.co/nLJOIZODHg
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) February 26, 2014
11:15
26.2.2014
BREAKING: Scuffles as thousands of pro- and anti-Russian crowds protest in #Ukraine's Crimea http://t.co/QmpAlCZkT3 pic.twitter.com/OddpQKK7qC
— RT (@RT_com) February 26, 2014
11:03
26.2.2014
Glenn Kates wrote last week about Olesya Zhukovskaya, a 21-year-old Ukrainian medical volunteer, who tweeted "I'm dying" after being shot.
After widespread fears that she was dead, she eventually tweeted that she was alive and in the hospital in a stable condition.
This was the bullet that hit her:
After widespread fears that she was dead, she eventually tweeted that she was alive and in the hospital in a stable condition.
This was the bullet that hit her:
#EuroMaidan medic @OlesyaZhukovska, who tweeted "I'm dying" after hit by sniper bullet on Feb. 20, shows what hit her pic.twitter.com/XittQwFqPA
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 26, 2014
10:08
26.2.2014
The rumblings in Crimea continue.(From our Ukraine, Russia, and Tatar-Bashkir services):
Opposing groups of protesters are rallying outside the Crimean parliament.
Hundreds of pro-Russian activists are protesting against Ukraine's new government, which came to power after antigovernment demonstrations toppled President Viktor Yanukovych on Saturday.
The protesters are demanding a return to the Crimean Constitution of 1992, which gave the peninsula more autonomy.
They also want a referendum on Crimea's legal status.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Crimean Tatars who support the new leadership in Kyiv and who oppose Crimea's possible separation from Ukraine are also rallying.
The Crimean parliament is scheduled to discuss the crisis at an extraordinary session on Wednesday.
Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, who visited Crimea this week, said earlier that Russia is ready to carry out "any measures to defend the interests of its compatriots residing in Crimea."
Hundreds of pro-Russian activists are protesting against Ukraine's new government, which came to power after antigovernment demonstrations toppled President Viktor Yanukovych on Saturday.
The protesters are demanding a return to the Crimean Constitution of 1992, which gave the peninsula more autonomy.
They also want a referendum on Crimea's legal status.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Crimean Tatars who support the new leadership in Kyiv and who oppose Crimea's possible separation from Ukraine are also rallying.
The Crimean parliament is scheduled to discuss the crisis at an extraordinary session on Wednesday.
Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, who visited Crimea this week, said earlier that Russia is ready to carry out "any measures to defend the interests of its compatriots residing in Crimea."