-- 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
The European Commission has recognized Oleksandr Turchynov as Ukraine's legitimate acting president, while Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow has "serious doubts" about the legitimacy of many of Ukraine's governing bodies.
Medvedev said there was no one to deal with in Ukraine, as masked and armed men could not be partners for dialogue.
He called the recognition of Kyiv authorities by some states an "aberration." Medvedev said all of Russia's legally binding agreements with Ukraine will be fulfilled, but he also said that agreements on lower prices for Russian gas supplies reached with ousted President Viktor Yanukovych were not open-ended and would have to be renegotiated.
European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said Monday in Brussels that the Ukrainian parliament, which on Saturday appointed Turchynov to succeed Yanukovych, took "a legitimate and democratic decision."
13:4524.2.2014
Remember Tetyana Chornovol? She's the investigative Ukrainian journalist, known for reporting on corruption among the Yanukovych-era elite, whose savage beating on Christmas Day provoked an international outcry.
The report remains in the realm of rumor ("The Guardian" says today that in Balaclava there was no sign of either Yanukovych or the yacht, reputed to be owned by his son.) But it's prompted a few waggish responses on Twitter.
Here's a picture:
А с этим теперь - что ? С Bandido ? Собак в Межигорье кормить нечем и некому.. А тут - цельная яхта ! pic.twitter.com/4BKBlUOpcq
Video doing the rounds on Twitter showing a 2007 exchange between the then mayor of Kharkiv Mykhailo Dobkin and Hennadiy Kernes, who is the current mayor of the city. It's not clear in what capacity Kernes was acting in in 2007.
Dobkin is now the governor of the Kharkiv Oblast. Both are members of the Yanukovych's Party of Regions.
Be warned, the exchange is very sweary, but illuminating none the less.
Meanwhile, this from Interfax. Kernes is not planning to step down as Kharkiv mayor, although he did give the briefing from the airport.
Kernes has no plans to leave post of Kharkiv mayor
KHARKIV. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Kharkiv Mayor Gennady Kernes has no
intention of resigning at the session of the city council scheduled for
Wednesday, February 26.
"I would like to announce that you should not expect any statements
on my resignation at the session of the Kharkiv City Council," Kernes
told a briefing at the Kharkiv international airport.
For a bit more background on Kernes, check out this story by our Ukrainian Service (in English) about the closure of local television channels, which were often critical of the authorities.
15:1824.2.2014
From the wires:
Russia's Foreign Ministry has alleged that "dictatorial and sometimes terrorist methods" are being used in Ukraine to pressure dissenters against the country's new authorities.
The Foreign Ministry also said Moscow is surprised by Western support for plans to hold an early presidential election in Ukraine.
It says constitutional reforms should first be put to a referendum, and the concerns of lawmakers in Crimea, and southern and eastern Ukraine, must be taken into account.
15:4224.2.2014
Leaflet calling Sevastopol residents to sign up for militia says the "blue brown Europlague is knocking" pic.twitter.com/jtscHRRxEq
Freed Ukrainian ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko says she's planning to receive medical treatment in Germany. A statement on Tymoshenko’s website said she had accepted an offer of treatment from German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Good morning. Kicking off the live blog again. Powerful photos from Lviv, where local riot police kneel as they apologize to residents for taking part in an operation against antigovernment protesters in Kyiv.
