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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
16:19 26.2.2014
16:19 26.2.2014
16:20 26.2.2014
16:20 26.2.2014
16:21 26.2.2014
16:38 26.2.2014
Further to those NATO tweets we've just posted, RFE/RL's newsdesk has issued this short bulletin:

NATO defense ministers have pledged that the alliance continues to support Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity.

A written statement released today said a "sovereign, independent and stable Ukraine, firmly committed to democracy and the rule of law, is key to Euro-Atlantic security" and stability in Central and Eastern Europe.

The statement commended Ukraine’s armed forces for not intervening in the country’s political crisis, which has led to President Viktor Yanukovych's fleeing Kyiv and former opposition politicians' taking control of Ukraine's governing institutions.

The statement added that NATO and Ukraine have it called a "distinctive partnership," embodied in the NATO-Ukraine cooperation commission.

The crisis between pro-Russian and Western-leaning Ukrainian factions has raised concerns the country could eventually split up.

Earlier this week, top NATO and Russian generals discussed the crisis.
16:54 26.2.2014
According to a number of news agencies, including Reuters, AFP, and Interfax, Ukraine's new authorities say they’ve requested an international arrest warrant for ousted President Viktor Yanukovych on charges of ordering the “mass murder” of protesters.

Acting Prosecutor-General Oleh Makhnytsky said the interim government wants Yanukovych and former Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko put on international wanted lists so they can be arrested if they are found outside Ukraine.
17:25 26.2.2014
17:45 26.2.2014
17:54 26.2.2014
This is just in from the wires:

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Russia to "keep its word" and stay out of Ukraine, Russia's western neighbor.

Kerry said today that Washington is not looking for a confrontation with Moscow over the Ukrainian crisis.

Nonetheless, he said Russia has said it will respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the United States expects Russia to fulfill this pledge.

Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military units to conduct exercises in western Russia. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the maneuvers involve some 150,000 troops, 880 tanks, 90 aircraft, and 80 navy ships.

Shoigu said the drills are not related to the instability in Ukraine, but said Russia would take measures to protect the facilities and weapons of Russia’s Black Sea Naval Fleet, which is based on Ukraine’s Crimean coast. (Reuters, AFP)

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