14:28
12.3.2014
More on the leaders of the G7 group of advanced economies warning to Russia to "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea" or face action, from agencies.
A statement from the seven nations released from the White House says the referendum scheduled for this weekend "would have no legal effect" and that they won't recognize its results. The statement was from the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States, along with the European Council and the European Commission.
A statement from the seven nations released from the White House says the referendum scheduled for this weekend "would have no legal effect" and that they won't recognize its results. The statement was from the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States, along with the European Council and the European Commission.
14:21
12.3.2014
"The New York Times" David Herszenhorn points out the following via his Facebook page:
With the Crimean Parliament declaring "independence" today, important to note that the Crimean Constitution declares Crimea to be part of Ukraine, and sets forth the methods for amending the Constitution, which require approval not only of the Crimean Parliament but also the national Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev. In other words, Crimean lawmakers at the moment are basically making things up as they go along. The people of Crimea may have a God-given right to self-determination, but crucial not to expect that there's any basis in existing law for what is happening. Among several crucial Constitutional provisions at issue:
Article 1
1. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea shall be an integral part of Ukraine and it shall solve, within the powers conferred upon it by the Constitution of Ukraine, any and all matters coming within its terms of reference.
Article 6
5. No one shall be entitled to acquire or make use of any powers of authority in defiance of the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian laws, the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the statutory acts of the Supreme Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Article 1
1. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea shall be an integral part of Ukraine and it shall solve, within the powers conferred upon it by the Constitution of Ukraine, any and all matters coming within its terms of reference.
Article 6
5. No one shall be entitled to acquire or make use of any powers of authority in defiance of the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian laws, the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the statutory acts of the Supreme Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
14:14
12.3.2014
From agencies:
Leaders of the Group of Seven economies have told Russia to stop its work on a referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region and "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea" or face action.
13:39
12.3.2014
Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, says Moscow has refused any diplomatic contacts over the crisis in Crimea.
Turchynov told AFP that heavily outnumbered Ukraine would not go to war with Russia over Crimea, as it would leave the country's eastern border exposed and unprotected. He said Moscow so far has refused "all contact at the foreign ministry and top government level" and is "rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict."
Turchynov told AFP that heavily outnumbered Ukraine would not go to war with Russia over Crimea, as it would leave the country's eastern border exposed and unprotected. He said Moscow so far has refused "all contact at the foreign ministry and top government level" and is "rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict."
13:36
12.3.2014
Reuters reports that U.S. officials believe it was the Russian military blocking the unarmed OSCE observer mission's access to Crimea last week, citing a U.S. statement:
The U.S. diplomatic mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OCSE) quoted a report by the OSCE observer team which said the gunmen appeared to have Russian military equipment and vehicles.
Pro-Russian forces have taken over military installations across Crimea, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. When the OSCE military obsever team tried to get into Crimea last Saturday, warning shots were fired and it was turned back.
"The passage into Crimea of the multinational delegation sent to Ukraine...was blocked five times in multiple locations by heavily armed guards lacking clear national identification," a U.S. statement said.
It quoted the team's report as saying that its observations "produced significant evidence of equipment consistent with the presence of Russian Federation military personnel (in the vicinity of) the various roadblocks encountered during the period of the observation."
It also said trucks had number plates associated with the Black Sea Fleet, according to the U.S. statement.
The U.S. ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel Baer, said in the statement: "This report adds to our deep concerns and clearly suggests direct involvement by the Russian federation and its agents in preventing impartial, unarmed observers from doing the work they are supposed to do."
Pro-Russian forces have taken over military installations across Crimea, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. When the OSCE military obsever team tried to get into Crimea last Saturday, warning shots were fired and it was turned back.
"The passage into Crimea of the multinational delegation sent to Ukraine...was blocked five times in multiple locations by heavily armed guards lacking clear national identification," a U.S. statement said.
It quoted the team's report as saying that its observations "produced significant evidence of equipment consistent with the presence of Russian Federation military personnel (in the vicinity of) the various roadblocks encountered during the period of the observation."
It also said trucks had number plates associated with the Black Sea Fleet, according to the U.S. statement.
The U.S. ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel Baer, said in the statement: "This report adds to our deep concerns and clearly suggests direct involvement by the Russian federation and its agents in preventing impartial, unarmed observers from doing the work they are supposed to do."
13:31
12.3.2014
#EU approves framework for asset freezes and travel bans against #Russia over #Crimea http://t.co/2JRzbl2SqX via @reuters @martinsanta
â Luke Baker (@LukeReuters) March 12, 2014
13:08
12.3.2014
"I want to remind everyone that I remain the sole legitimate President of Ukraine and the Supreme Commander [of the Armed Forces]. I did not give up my powers early. I am alive! I have not been impeached in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine."
A full transcript of Yanukovych's March 11 press conference is available here:
13:08
12.3.2014
Car with Kyiv license plate in front of us ordered to pull over. We have Sevatopol plates, so waves through without questions.
â Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 12, 2014
12:59
12.3.2014
A possibly -- no, probably -- no, most definitely drunk Russian woman explaining her views on Crimea at a pro-Russia rally at Red Square:
12:50
12.3.2014
Crimea's First Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliyev has announced that "Crimean self-defense" forces will continue to restrict landings by civilian aircraft at Simferopol's international airport until the peninsula's March 16 independence referendum. Temirgaliyev said this was necessary to prevent the infiltration of extremists. He said the airport will resume normal operations promptly on the 17th.