19:26
17.3.2014
From the wires:
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
19:22
17.3.2014
Window on Eurasia: Putin Plans to Annex Far More of Ukraine than Just Crimea, Illarionov Says http://t.co/T5ep655YeL
â bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) March 17, 2014
19:21
17.3.2014
Jan Techau, director of the Carnegie Europe think tank in Brussels, says the limited first round of targeted EU sanctions and a draft list of 120-130 names leaked earlier are warnings to Russia that the list can be quickly augmented.
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
19:10
17.3.2014
The Russian officials on this EU sanctions list are as far from Kremlin policymaking as I am from playing in the NBA http://t.co/o6tXUhynny
â max seddon (@maxseddon) March 17, 2014
19:07
17.3.2014
The Russian and Crimean officials named by the EU sanctions are listed here, on page 13.
18:33
17.3.2014
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov speaking in a televised address to the nation from Kyiv announcing partial mobilization:
"Dear compatriots, these are difficult times for Ukraine and each of us individually. Russian military forces are de facto holding Crimea under the barrels of their machine guns, justifying this aggression with a falsified and legally nonsensical referendum that will never be recognized either by Ukraine or by civilized world."
"On top of that, Russia has amassed its military forces on our national borders. They are threatening Ukraine with an all-out war."
"It is not the Russians who are marching down the streets of Moscow to thwart the attack against our country that are threatening Ukraine. It is the political leadership of the Russian Federation that is confronting us. They are living their imperial dream. They have a panic fear of the example of Ukraine, where the people toppled a totalitarian regime. What the Kremlin is afraid of most of all is a democratic, European, successful, and prosperous Ukraine that we are building today. This is the true motive of their aggression."
"We will do everything to avoid human casualties. We will do everything to resolve this conflict diplomatically. Nevertheless, a military threat to our country is real. This is why I signed an order today declaring a partial mobilization. Our parliament approved this decision. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots are voluntarily joining the ranks of our armed forces and National Guard to defend our motherland. It is these patriots that our decision is based upon."
"Provocateurs and pogromists are being sent our way; traitors and separatists are being funded. They want to splinter, ruin, and weaken our country. They are resorting to unlawful activities; they are trying to instigate mass unrest, incite people into occupying buildings, lynching, resistance of law enforcement structures and armed forces -- under the existing law all of this will be considered as collaboration with the armed aggressor and an act of treason. It will be punished severely according to the Ukrainian legislation and constitution."
"On top of that, Russia has amassed its military forces on our national borders. They are threatening Ukraine with an all-out war."
"It is not the Russians who are marching down the streets of Moscow to thwart the attack against our country that are threatening Ukraine. It is the political leadership of the Russian Federation that is confronting us. They are living their imperial dream. They have a panic fear of the example of Ukraine, where the people toppled a totalitarian regime. What the Kremlin is afraid of most of all is a democratic, European, successful, and prosperous Ukraine that we are building today. This is the true motive of their aggression."
"We will do everything to avoid human casualties. We will do everything to resolve this conflict diplomatically. Nevertheless, a military threat to our country is real. This is why I signed an order today declaring a partial mobilization. Our parliament approved this decision. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots are voluntarily joining the ranks of our armed forces and National Guard to defend our motherland. It is these patriots that our decision is based upon."
"Provocateurs and pogromists are being sent our way; traitors and separatists are being funded. They want to splinter, ruin, and weaken our country. They are resorting to unlawful activities; they are trying to instigate mass unrest, incite people into occupying buildings, lynching, resistance of law enforcement structures and armed forces -- under the existing law all of this will be considered as collaboration with the armed aggressor and an act of treason. It will be punished severely according to the Ukrainian legislation and constitution."
17:45
17.3.2014
Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, says Ukraine is ready for negotiations with Russia but will never accept annexation. In an address to the nation, he said any actions inciting mass disorder will be regarded as a crime against the state.
17:17
17.3.2014
Another endorsement, this time from the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Its "foreign ministry" says the Crimean referendum is "yet another manifestation of the right of people to self-determination."
The region, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, broke away from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s.
The region, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, broke away from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s.
17:00
17.3.2014
Mikhail Gorbachev has pronounced the Crimean referendum as A Good Thing.
Interviewed by Interfax, the former Soviet leader said Crimea should never have been hived off from Russia and that its return was to be welcomed.
Interviewed by Interfax, the former Soviet leader said Crimea should never have been hived off from Russia and that its return was to be welcomed.
16:34
17.3.2014
From RFE/RL's news desk
Amid the crisis over Crimea, Ukraine has recalled its ambassador to Russia for consultations.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's announcement that Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko was being called back to Kyiv came one day after Crimea's pro-Russian government staged a referendum on joining Russia that it said was backed by more than 95 percent of voters.
Amid the crisis over Crimea, Ukraine has recalled its ambassador to Russia for consultations.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's announcement that Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko was being called back to Kyiv came one day after Crimea's pro-Russian government staged a referendum on joining Russia that it said was backed by more than 95 percent of voters.