10:53
12.3.2014
Ukrainian national guard to be 20k strong, per Paruby - not 40k as in earlier tweet, apologies
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 12, 2014
10:59
12.3.2014
Nice WashPost summary of the nail-biting in Belarus and Kazakhstan over Crimea:
"Kazakhstan's Nursultan Nazarbayev has traditionally sought to maintain constructive relations with both Russia and West, but if a Cold War redux erupts over inclusion of Crimea into Russia, Astana might be forced to take sides and therefore lose the opportunity to play great powers off each other," Simon Saradzhyan, a research fellow at Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, explains in an e-mail. "The same goes for Belarus' Alexandr Lukashenko, who tends to make overtures to the West whenever he wants a major concession from Russia." U.S. or European Union sanctions against Russia would hurt both countries, Saradzhyan notes, as they are now tied economically to Moscow.
"Kazakhstan's Nursultan Nazarbayev has traditionally sought to maintain constructive relations with both Russia and West, but if a Cold War redux erupts over inclusion of Crimea into Russia, Astana might be forced to take sides and therefore lose the opportunity to play great powers off each other," Simon Saradzhyan, a research fellow at Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, explains in an e-mail. "The same goes for Belarus' Alexandr Lukashenko, who tends to make overtures to the West whenever he wants a major concession from Russia." U.S. or European Union sanctions against Russia would hurt both countries, Saradzhyan notes, as they are now tied economically to Moscow.
11:18
12.3.2014
Russian news agencies report that a Russian lawmaker has officially requested that the Prosecutor-General's Office launch an investigation into possible extremism by former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Roman Khudyakov of the Liberal Democratic Party told "Izvestia" on March 12 that statements made by Khodorkovsky in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, earlier this week qualify as extremist since they call for "revolt against Russia."
On March 9-10, Khodorkovsky addressed thousands of people on Kyiv's Independence Square and university students. He said that Russia had been spreading "lies" about who was behind the events in Ukraine and noted there are many in Russia who oppose the occupation of Crimea.
The Russian State Duma has also noted that Khodorkovsky publicly promised not to engage in political activities.
The former Yukos oil chief was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned on tax evasion and other charges. He was amnestied in December and has remained abroad ever since, recently requesting Swiss residency.
Roman Khudyakov of the Liberal Democratic Party told "Izvestia" on March 12 that statements made by Khodorkovsky in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, earlier this week qualify as extremist since they call for "revolt against Russia."
On March 9-10, Khodorkovsky addressed thousands of people on Kyiv's Independence Square and university students. He said that Russia had been spreading "lies" about who was behind the events in Ukraine and noted there are many in Russia who oppose the occupation of Crimea.
The Russian State Duma has also noted that Khodorkovsky publicly promised not to engage in political activities.
The former Yukos oil chief was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned on tax evasion and other charges. He was amnestied in December and has remained abroad ever since, recently requesting Swiss residency.
11:33
12.3.2014
The former governor of Ukraine's eastern region of Kharkiv, Mykhaylo Dobkin, has reportedly been placed under house arrest in Kyiv pending the completion of investigations against him. A court in the Ukrainian capital issued the ruling on March 11, and Dobkin has vowed to appeal.
Dobkin was detained in Kyiv the previous afternoon. He is suspected of violating Ukraine's territorial integrity and of making public calls to decentralize state power. Earlier this month, Dobkin, a member of the former ruling Party of Regions, announced plans to run for the presidency in a snap election called by the new authorities in Kyiv for the end of May.
Members of the Party of Regions, formerly led by ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, call Dobkin's detention politically motivated.
Dobkin was detained in Kyiv the previous afternoon. He is suspected of violating Ukraine's territorial integrity and of making public calls to decentralize state power. Earlier this month, Dobkin, a member of the former ruling Party of Regions, announced plans to run for the presidency in a snap election called by the new authorities in Kyiv for the end of May.
Members of the Party of Regions, formerly led by ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, call Dobkin's detention politically motivated.
11:36
12.3.2014
Moshe Reuven Azman, #Ukraine's Chief Rabbi: Right Sector are against chauvinism and xenophobia, as they told Israel's Ambassador
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) March 12, 2014
11:40
12.3.2014
The Russian Consulate in Odesa, slammed by protest noodles.
"Лапша". Консульство РФ в Одесі закидали макаронами #MediaWar pic.twitter.com/rS6iqATj3Q
— Hromadske.TV (@HromadskeTV) March 12, 2014
11:42
12.3.2014
Another shot of "Putin's Noodles"
Акция закончилась, все разошлись pic.twitter.com/xvMZRGaqh8
— Ilya Varlamov (@varlamov) March 12, 2014
11:50
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.
11:59
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:
12:08
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.
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 12, 2014