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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
16:28 2.3.2014
The BBC has an interview with Ukrainian Navy Admiral Turi Ilyn who was allowed to leave the navy's HQ in Sevastopol after it was occupied by Russian troops.

He said that his officers were "hostages of the situation" and that he was worried about his men.

Watch the interview here.
15:29 2.3.2014
14:57 2.3.2014
Many in Ukraine have appealed for the West to do more, which raises the question: what exactly? Beyond stern condemnations that is. David J. Kramer, the president of Freedom House and and former deputy assistant secretary of state for Russia and Ukraine, lays out in "The Washington Post" what he thinks Obama's administration should do:

"●Imposing sanctions against Russian state-owned banks and financial institutions;

●Widening application of the 2012 Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act against an array of Kremlin officials, including Putin;

●Terminating all negotiations with Russia on a possible trade agreement or promoting business;

●Calling an emergency NATO meeting to reassure NATO allies that border Ukraine and initiate mobilization of forces to be ready for any developments (Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, invoked by Latvia and Lithuania, calls for consultations about security concerns);

●Sending U.S. military ships to the Black Sea for any contingencies;

●Pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Russia’s aggression against its neighbor, even though Russia will obviously veto it; and

●Joining other Group of Eight members in expelling Russia and announcing the cancellation of Obama’s plans to visit Sochi, where Putin was to host this year’s G-8 meeting in June."
14:49 2.3.2014
14:44 2.3.2014
14:27 2.3.2014
14:25 2.3.2014
BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned Russia's "incredible act of aggression" in Ukraine:

Speaking on a Sunday morning television talk show in the United States, he also threatened "very serious repercussions" from the United States and other countries including sanctions to isolate Russia economically.

Kerry, appearing on the CBS network's program "Face the Nation,' raised the possibility of boycotting the June meeting of the Group of Eight leading industrialized countries in Sochi, Russia.

He's also discussed visa bans, asset freezes, and trade and investment penalties.

He said he had spoken with foreign ministers for G-8 and other nations on Saturday, and says everyone is prepared 'to go to the hilt" to isolate Russia.
14:03 2.3.2014
13:54 2.3.2014
13:53 2.3.2014
More on Hague's comments:
British Foreign Secretary William Hague says the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine has been violated by Moscow.

He spoke Sunday to reporters shortly before flying to Kyiv where he is to meet with Ukrainian officials.

Hague also called on both sides in the Ukrainian crisis to avoid conflict. Western concerns over events in Ukraine have risen amid reports that so-called"self-defense" forces in Crimea have seized control of military bases.

'Self-defense forces' are a term used by pro-Russian authorities in the peninsula.

Tensions have also risen in the wake of the approval given on Saturday by the Russian upper house of parliament to President Vladimir Putin to deploy military forces in Crimea. (Reuters, AFP)

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