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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.
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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
09:04 1.3.2014
08:56 1.3.2014
08:54 1.3.2014
08:53 1.3.2014
08:53 1.3.2014
08:52 1.3.2014
20:47 28.2.2014
Here are some more details from RFE/RL's newsdesk on Kyiv's accusing Moscow of provocations. You can also read a longer report here:

Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has accused Russia of aggression in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and called on President Vladimir Putin to stop "provocations" and pull back military forces.

Turchynov said the Ukrainian military will fulfill its duty, but will not be drawn into provocations.

In televised comments on February 28, Turchynov also drew a parallel between the situation in Crimea and the brief 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

Earlier on February 28, officials of Ukraine's new government accused Russian troops of launching an illegal military operation in Crimea and seizing two airports.

Ukraine said its airspace had been violated by Russian aircraft flying from Russia over Crimea.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea's port of Sevastopol, said all movements of its forces were carried out in accordance with its lease agreement with Ukraine. (Reuters, AFP, AP)
20:16 28.2.2014
!!! BREAKING !!!
Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has accused Russia of aggression in Crimea and called on President Vladimir Putin to stop "provocations" and pull back military forces. (Reuters, AFP,AP)
19:23 28.2.2014
A number of news agencies are reporting that the United Nations Security Council said it will hold a closed-door meeting later today to discuss the crisis, in response to a request from Ukraine's new authorities.
18:40 28.2.2014
In this week's Power Vertical Podcast, Brian Whitmore and guests ponder Russia's response to events in its next-door neighbor Ukraine:

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