15:11
15.3.2014
This week's Economist cartoon #euromaidan pic.twitter.com/8HFtj7Kod3
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) March 15, 2014
15:12
15.3.2014
Interfax reports #Ukraine Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh says over 40,000 men have signed up to join new Ukrainian National Guard.
— Ed Flanagan (@edmundflanagan) March 15, 2014
15:17
15.3.2014
This just in from Reuters: U.S. Destroyer to conduct more drills on Black Sea.
ABOARD THE USS TRUXTUN, Bulgaria, March 15 (Reuters) - The USS Truxtun, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, will carry out more exercises with allied ships in the Black Sea, its commander said on Saturday, in a further sign of the international response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Commander Andrew Biehn was briefing reporters aboard the 300-crew destroyer as it lay docked in a Bulgarian port.
The USS Truxtun last week took part in drills with Romanian and Bulgarian ships a few hundred miles from Russian forces that entered Ukraine's Russian-majority of Crimea after mass protests toppled the country's pro-Moscow president.
ABOARD THE USS TRUXTUN, Bulgaria, March 15 (Reuters) - The USS Truxtun, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, will carry out more exercises with allied ships in the Black Sea, its commander said on Saturday, in a further sign of the international response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Commander Andrew Biehn was briefing reporters aboard the 300-crew destroyer as it lay docked in a Bulgarian port.
The USS Truxtun last week took part in drills with Romanian and Bulgarian ships a few hundred miles from Russian forces that entered Ukraine's Russian-majority of Crimea after mass protests toppled the country's pro-Moscow president.
15:29
15.3.2014
Funny conversation recounted by Mark MacKinnon of "The Globe and Mail":
Me: Can I buy some yogurt? Lady: Where are you from? Me: Canada. Lady: Canada is with Ukraine. We're all with Russia here. Me: So, yogurt?
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 15, 2014
15:35
15.3.2014
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says 40 Ukrainian citizens were detained at Moscow's Sherametevo Airport.
"No explanation was given to the Ukrainian citizens, nor to representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy when they arrived on the scene," the Foreign Ministry said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
"No explanation was given to the Ukrainian citizens, nor to representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy when they arrived on the scene," the Foreign Ministry said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
16:01
15.3.2014
New reports coming in about the Russian military incursion outside Crimea. This, from AP:
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) — A Ukrainian official said Russian forces seized a natural gas distribution station near Crimea on Saturday, the eve of a referendum on whether the region should seek annexation by Moscow.
The action in Strelkova appeared to be the first move outside Crimea, where Russian forces have been in effective control since late last month. Border guard spokesman Oleg Slobodyan told The Associated Press that a contingent of about 120 troops occupied the station in Strelkova, about 10 kilometers outside Crimea.
The Defense Ministry earlier reported that a Russian attempt to take the station had been repelled, but Slobodyan said that information was outdated.
As Crimea prepares for Sunday's referendum, dozens of billboards throughout the regional capital proclaim "Together With Russia." But a few have been hit by spray-painters who scrawled out "Russia" and replaced it with "Ukraine."
The action in Strelkova appeared to be the first move outside Crimea, where Russian forces have been in effective control since late last month. Border guard spokesman Oleg Slobodyan told The Associated Press that a contingent of about 120 troops occupied the station in Strelkova, about 10 kilometers outside Crimea.
The Defense Ministry earlier reported that a Russian attempt to take the station had been repelled, but Slobodyan said that information was outdated.
As Crimea prepares for Sunday's referendum, dozens of billboards throughout the regional capital proclaim "Together With Russia." But a few have been hit by spray-painters who scrawled out "Russia" and replaced it with "Ukraine."
16:06
15.3.2014
Here's more from our newsdesk on the UN Security Council vote:
Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that would have declared a planned referendum on the status of Ukraine's Crimea region "can have no validity" and urged governments and international organizations not to recognize Crimea's secession from Ukraine.
China abstained from today's vote at the Security Council.
The other 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said before the meeting that there would be "no surprises at this vote."
The resolution said the Crimean referendum tomorrow "can have no validity, and cannot form the basis for any alteration of the status of Crimea."
It also called on states and international organizations "not to recognize any alteration of the status of Crimea on the basis of this referendum." (Kanal 5 Ukraine, Reuters, and AP)
Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that would have declared a planned referendum on the status of Ukraine's Crimea region "can have no validity" and urged governments and international organizations not to recognize Crimea's secession from Ukraine.
China abstained from today's vote at the Security Council.
The other 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said before the meeting that there would be "no surprises at this vote."
The resolution said the Crimean referendum tomorrow "can have no validity, and cannot form the basis for any alteration of the status of Crimea."
It also called on states and international organizations "not to recognize any alteration of the status of Crimea on the basis of this referendum." (Kanal 5 Ukraine, Reuters, and AP)
16:10
15.3.2014
More on the Russian military incursion in Strelkova. This from AFP:
KYIV, March 15, 2014 (AFP) - Ukraine accused Russian forces on Saturday of invading a region in the southeast of the country neighbouring Crimea and vowed to use "all necessary measures" to ward off the attack.
The Ukraine foreign ministry said Russia's forces had seized the village of Strilkove off the northeastern edge of the Crimean peninsula and said the country "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia".
The Ukraine foreign ministry said Russia's forces had seized the village of Strilkove off the northeastern edge of the Crimean peninsula and said the country "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia".