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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
13:04 2.3.2014
BREAKING: NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says Russia is threatening peace and security in Europe by its actions in Ukraine.

Speaking in Brussels on Sunday, he called on Russia to "deescalate tensions." Rasmussen spoke ahead of the start of an urgent NATO meeting in Brussels to consider the situation in Ukraine.

The Sunday meeting of the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s main political decision-making body, is at the request of Poland.

Warsaw has said it feels threatened by any potential Russian military intervention in neighboring Ukraine.
13:06 2.3.2014
13:08 2.3.2014
13:13 2.3.2014
13:36 2.3.2014
There is a continuing standoff at the Perevalne military base in Crimea. It's a Ukrainian base about 25 kilometers south of Simferopol.

"The Guardian's" Shaun Walker is there:

"It’s a Ukrainian base. There are Russian troops everywhere, lining the hills and roads towards it. There are at least 100 of them standing in twos and several military vehicles. The Ukrainians are inside. They have driven a tank up to the gates and there are 15 of them lined up by the gates. There was a negotiation and the Russians have agreed they’re not going to enter the base for now and the Ukrainians have said they’re not going to give up."

The tank: The Russian reinforcements: This video from Sevastapol catches the mood, when a Ukrainian Navy officer faces off against a number of Russian troops.




Rough translation, posted on YouTube and verified.

ru: I only execute orders, doing my job
UA: I'm also doing my job!
ru: we take the car
UA: No! That is my car. That's a state property... You say you are peaceful? Than behave peacefully!
ru: With you there is no way to solve things peacefully.
UA: Ahaha, and with you??? explain me what are you doing here on my territory
UA2: Take your cars, that's all
UA: Did we seize weapons? Did we seize weapons? No!
13:52 2.3.2014
More video from Kharkiv yesterday where a pro-Russian crowd took over the regional government HQ, beating Maidan supporters.

14:06 2.3.2014
14:36 2.3.2014
BREAKING: British Foreign Secretary Hague says sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine has been violated.
14:53 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)
14:54 2.3.2014

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