11:50
12.3.2014
#G7 statement on #Crimea will be announced in nearest hours http://t.co/CGOwZAzQkc @SvobodaRadio | PR News #Ukraine #Putin #CrimeaInvasion
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) March 12, 2014
11:47
12.3.2014
A commentary from RFE/RL's editor in chief, Nenad Pejic -- who was previously director of RFE/RL's Balkan Service and before that, editor in chief of Bosnian Television -- titled "What's The Difference Between Vladimir Putin And Slobodan Milosevic? About 22 Years."
He goes on, in considerable detail, to compare their methods before concluding:
They are one man with two shadows; one modus operandi separated by a little more than two decades.
In fact, if Milosevic were alive today, he could probably sue Putin for plagiarism.
In fact, if Milosevic were alive today, he could probably sue Putin for plagiarism.
He goes on, in considerable detail, to compare their methods before concluding:
...Putin enjoys an advantage that Milosevic lacked. Russia, unlike Serbia, is a major geopolitical player with a seat on the UN Security Council, a nuclear power, and a crucial supplier of energy to Europe.
If, without assets like these, Milosevic managed to menace his neighbors for eight years, how long will Putin be able to do so?
If, without assets like these, Milosevic managed to menace his neighbors for eight years, how long will Putin be able to do so?
11:46
12.3.2014
Crimea's pro-Russian PM Aksyonov tweets that peninsula is in on full alert, links to bombastic Life News video:
Крым в полной боевой готовности 12.03.14: http://t.co/pHBxp17Jmq #Крым #чонгар #Перекоп
— Сергей Аксенов (@sergyaksenov) March 12, 2014
11:40
12.3.2014
More on the U.S. Mission to the OSCE's concern about the involvement of Russian military personnel in establishing roadblocks in Crimea:
"Among the evidence cited in the report were '[Russian] pattern uniforms and combat equipment without identifying patches,' 'trucks bearing license plate numbers associated with Black Sea Fleet,' and armored personnel carriers, 'one of which is a naval infantry version displaying [Russian] markings.'
Read the full statement here:
"Among the evidence cited in the report were '[Russian] pattern uniforms and combat equipment without identifying patches,' 'trucks bearing license plate numbers associated with Black Sea Fleet,' and armored personnel carriers, 'one of which is a naval infantry version displaying [Russian] markings.'
Read the full statement here:
11:29
12.3.2014
Scores of Russian cultural figures have come out variously in support of and in opposition to Russia's actions in Crimea.
RFE/RL's Russian Service reports that more than 80 people, including conductor Valery Gergiev; Irina Antonova, the head of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts; actor Sergei Bezrukov; Yelena Gagarina, daughter of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin; and violinist Yuri Bashmet signed an open letter of support for Putin. In a letter published on the website of the Culture Ministry, they say they "cannot be indifferent observers with cold hearts" and that they "firmly state support for the position of the president of the Russian Federation on Ukraine and Crimea."
Others, including film critic Anton Dolin, writers Lyudmila Ulitskaya and Viktor Yerofeyev, and legendary film actress Lia Akhedzhakova, signed open letters last week in which they condemned the occupation of Crimea by Russian forces.
RFE/RL's Russian Service reports that more than 80 people, including conductor Valery Gergiev; Irina Antonova, the head of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts; actor Sergei Bezrukov; Yelena Gagarina, daughter of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin; and violinist Yuri Bashmet signed an open letter of support for Putin. In a letter published on the website of the Culture Ministry, they say they "cannot be indifferent observers with cold hearts" and that they "firmly state support for the position of the president of the Russian Federation on Ukraine and Crimea."
Others, including film critic Anton Dolin, writers Lyudmila Ulitskaya and Viktor Yerofeyev, and legendary film actress Lia Akhedzhakova, signed open letters last week in which they condemned the occupation of Crimea by Russian forces.
11:26
12.3.2014
A reminder that five Ukrainian activists and journalists who went missing in Crimea have reportedly resurfaced, according to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and other local reports.
A member of the Automaidan activist group, Serhiy Khadzhinov, said late on March 11 that the group's press secretary, Kateryna Butko, as well as independent blogger Oleksanda Ryazantseva, "Ukrainian Week" reporter Olena Maksymenko, journalist Yevhen Rakhno, and photographer Oles Kromplyas have been freed.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Butko, Ryazantseva, and Maksymenko had been detained at a checkpoint manned by Russia Unity, a pro-Russia political party. The five are currently in Ukraine's southern region of Kherson.
They and several pro-Ukrainian activists, including Igor Kiryushchenko, the head of the Ukrainian Republican Party's Crimean branch, Andriy Shchekun, the head of Crimea's Ukrainian Council, and Anatolyy Kovalskiy, the director of the board of trustees of the Ukrainian School in Simferopol, all went missing March 9 or 10.
Ukrainian police sources confirmed the release of Ryazantseva, Butko, and Maksymenko only.
A member of the Automaidan activist group, Serhiy Khadzhinov, said late on March 11 that the group's press secretary, Kateryna Butko, as well as independent blogger Oleksanda Ryazantseva, "Ukrainian Week" reporter Olena Maksymenko, journalist Yevhen Rakhno, and photographer Oles Kromplyas have been freed.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Butko, Ryazantseva, and Maksymenko had been detained at a checkpoint manned by Russia Unity, a pro-Russia political party. The five are currently in Ukraine's southern region of Kherson.
They and several pro-Ukrainian activists, including Igor Kiryushchenko, the head of the Ukrainian Republican Party's Crimean branch, Andriy Shchekun, the head of Crimea's Ukrainian Council, and Anatolyy Kovalskiy, the director of the board of trustees of the Ukrainian School in Simferopol, all went missing March 9 or 10.
Ukrainian police sources confirmed the release of Ryazantseva, Butko, and Maksymenko only.
11:24
12.3.2014
The press service of Ukraine's SBU security service reports that its officers found and detained a Russian military espionage unit in the Ukrainian region of Kherson, outside Crimea. The SBU said the Russians were attempting to gauge the readiness of Ukrainian troops in Kherson -- specifically the 3rd antimissile battalion of the 208th air defense missile brigade.
Some Ukrainian social-media watchers are having fun with the fact that the head of the group, a military intelligence officer born in 1981, had entered the country illegally with a Ukrainian passport under the name of Arbuzov -- the same name as the former deputy prime minister and (oh-so briefly) interim prime minister between Mykola Azarov and Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
11:19
12.3.2014
RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reports:
The veteran leader of the Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Jemilev, who is in Moscow for talks, hopes to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Our main condition is the withdrawal of Russian forces. Then we can talk about everything else."
Jemilev went to Moscow at the invitation of the former president of Russia's Tatarstan Republic, Mintimer Shaimiyev.
The veteran leader of the Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Jemilev, who is in Moscow for talks, hopes to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Our main condition is the withdrawal of Russian forces. Then we can talk about everything else."
Jemilev went to Moscow at the invitation of the former president of Russia's Tatarstan Republic, Mintimer Shaimiyev.
11:13
12.3.2014
Article and good infographic (in Russian) on Russia's Black Sea Fleet and its future: http://t.co/1hOoQxxVLU
— Robert Coalson (@CoalsonR) March 12, 2014
11:04
12.3.2014
Simferopol this morning #Crimea #Ukraine #stopputin pic.twitter.com/4JtBZ39RHj
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) March 12, 2014