16:14
15.3.2014
From the RFE/RL News Desk:
UNITED NATIONS, March 15, 2014 -- 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 in Saturday'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 there would be "no surprises at this vote." The resolution said the Crimean referendum on Sunday "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, AP)
UNITED NATIONS, March 15, 2014 -- 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 in Saturday'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 there would be "no surprises at this vote." The resolution said the Crimean referendum on Sunday "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, AP)
16:20
15.3.2014
Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, comments on Russia's March 15 veto of a draft Security Council resolution that would have declared Crimea's March 16 referendum invalid.
"Under the UN Charter, the Russian Federation has the power to veto a Security Council resolution but it does not have the power to veto the truth."
"Russia has refused Ukraine's outstretched hand, while as we speak Russian armed forces are massing across Ukraine's eastern border."
"Russia, isolated, alone and wrong, blocked the resolution's passage just as it has blocked Ukrainian ships and international observers."
"Russia cannot change the fact that moving forward in blatant defiance of the international rules of the road will have consequence, nor can it change Crimea's status. Crimea is part of Ukraine today, it will be part of Ukraine tomorrow, it will be part of Ukraine next week, it will be part of Ukraine unless and until its status is changed in accordance with Ukrainian and international law."
"Russia has refused Ukraine's outstretched hand, while as we speak Russian armed forces are massing across Ukraine's eastern border."
"Russia, isolated, alone and wrong, blocked the resolution's passage just as it has blocked Ukrainian ships and international observers."
"Russia cannot change the fact that moving forward in blatant defiance of the international rules of the road will have consequence, nor can it change Crimea's status. Crimea is part of Ukraine today, it will be part of Ukraine tomorrow, it will be part of Ukraine next week, it will be part of Ukraine unless and until its status is changed in accordance with Ukrainian and international law."
16:22
15.3.2014
The Maidan writes messages to Crimea.
Майдан надіслав послання Криму http://t.co/7Pyc1rOgaT pic.twitter.com/PKHaMV9axD
— Hromadske.TV (@HromadskeTV) March 15, 2014
16:29
15.3.2014
RFE/RL's newsdesk has this on the reported Russian incursion in the Kherson region:
Ukraine's Defense Ministry claims its forces repelled an attempt by Russian troops to enter a strip of land adjacent to Crimea.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry released a statement on March 15 that said, "Units of Ukraine's armed forces today...repelled an attempt by servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to enter the territory of Kherson region on Arbatskaya Strelka."
The statement added, "This was repelled immediately."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian border guard spokesman Oleh Slobodan told the Associated Press news agency that some 120 Russian troops had taken control of a natural gas distribution station at a place Slobodan named as being "Strelkova," some 10 kilometers outside Crimea.
So far Russian troops, estimated to number from 15,000 t0 20,000, have remained in Crimea.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said it "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia." (AFP, AP, and Reuters)
Ukraine's Defense Ministry claims its forces repelled an attempt by Russian troops to enter a strip of land adjacent to Crimea.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry released a statement on March 15 that said, "Units of Ukraine's armed forces today...repelled an attempt by servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to enter the territory of Kherson region on Arbatskaya Strelka."
The statement added, "This was repelled immediately."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian border guard spokesman Oleh Slobodan told the Associated Press news agency that some 120 Russian troops had taken control of a natural gas distribution station at a place Slobodan named as being "Strelkova," some 10 kilometers outside Crimea.
So far Russian troops, estimated to number from 15,000 t0 20,000, have remained in Crimea.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said it "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia." (AFP, AP, and Reuters)
16:33
15.3.2014
Russian blogger/activist Ilya Varlamov compares todays pro-Kremlin and anti-war rallies in Moscow (in Russian).
16:36
15.3.2014
A little clarity on the apparant Russia incursion outside Crimea. The latest from AP:
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces backed by helicopter gunships and armored vehicles Saturday took control of a village near the border with Crimea on the eve of a referendum on whether the region should seek annexation by Moscow, Ukrainian officials said.
The action in Strilkove appeared to be the first move outside Crimea, where Russian forces have been in effective control since late last month. There were no reports of gunfire or injuries. The incident raises tensions already at a high level before Sunday's referendum.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry denounced the foray outside Crimea, and said Ukraine "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia."
The village is on a long spit reaching northward from the main part of the Black Sea peninsula, about 10 kilometers (six miles) north of the border between Crimea and the Kherson region.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian border guard service, Oleg Slobodyan, told The Associated Press the Russians, about 120 in all, took control of a natural gas distribution station in the village. The Foreign Ministry said the force consisted of about 80 and didn't mention the station, but said the village was seized.
The action in Strilkove appeared to be the first move outside Crimea, where Russian forces have been in effective control since late last month. There were no reports of gunfire or injuries. The incident raises tensions already at a high level before Sunday's referendum.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry denounced the foray outside Crimea, and said Ukraine "reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia."
The village is on a long spit reaching northward from the main part of the Black Sea peninsula, about 10 kilometers (six miles) north of the border between Crimea and the Kherson region.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian border guard service, Oleg Slobodyan, told The Associated Press the Russians, about 120 in all, took control of a natural gas distribution station in the village. The Foreign Ministry said the force consisted of about 80 and didn't mention the station, but said the village was seized.
16:51
15.3.2014
Scene from todays Peace March in Moscow. "Russia Is Us, Not Putin."
'#Russia it's us and not #Putin'. Many Russians his hostages as well. Back to the USSR. Photo by @varlamov pic.twitter.com/r2YpiFrlPB #Ukraine
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) March 15, 2014
16:52
15.3.2014
So a Finnish guy, a Serbian guy and a Chinese guy are sent to monitor a referendum in Crimea... (Insert punch line here.)
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) March 15, 2014
16:53
15.3.2014
A snarky tweet from Anders Ostlund:
The G3 has been formed. #Putin #Assad #KimJongUm #Russia #NorthKorea #Syria #Ukraine #Crimea #Russia pic.twitter.com/B4BDJi35sL
— Anders Östlund (@andersostlund) March 15, 2014
17:07
15.3.2014
RFE/RL's newsdesk has a few more details on the reported Russian incursion outside Crimea:
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has released a statement expressing "its strong and categorical protest against the landing" of Russian troops in an area some 10 kilometers north of Crimea.
The Ukrainian ministry's statement said some 80 troops of the "Russian Federation Armed Forces" backed by four helicopter gunships and three armored combat vehicles had seized the village of Strilkove in the Kherson region today.
The ministry called it an "invasion" of Ukrainian territory and demanded Russia withdraw its forces from Strilkove immediately.
Ukrainian border guard spokesman Oleh Slobodan told the Associated Press some 120 Russian troops had taken control of a natural gas distribution station at Strilkove.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Ukraine reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia."
The United States Ambassador to the UN Samantha Powers called news of the Russian troop movement into Ukraine an "outrageous escalation" of the crisis. (with reporting from AP)
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has released a statement expressing "its strong and categorical protest against the landing" of Russian troops in an area some 10 kilometers north of Crimea.
The Ukrainian ministry's statement said some 80 troops of the "Russian Federation Armed Forces" backed by four helicopter gunships and three armored combat vehicles had seized the village of Strilkove in the Kherson region today.
The ministry called it an "invasion" of Ukrainian territory and demanded Russia withdraw its forces from Strilkove immediately.
Ukrainian border guard spokesman Oleh Slobodan told the Associated Press some 120 Russian troops had taken control of a natural gas distribution station at Strilkove.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Ukraine reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia."
The United States Ambassador to the UN Samantha Powers called news of the Russian troop movement into Ukraine an "outrageous escalation" of the crisis. (with reporting from AP)