20:55
26.3.2014
Interesting. Resistance, or a new political "movement"?
Around 300 protesters rallied in #Sevastopol this afternoon asking for local authorities to resign pic.twitter.com/9bWVlxN46o @paulgypteau | PR
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) March 26, 2014
20:59
26.3.2014
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on Right Sektor squaring off against the police after the death of Oleksandr Muzychko (in Ukrainian).
21:05
26.3.2014
Andrei Zubov, a 62-year-old historian and professor of philosophy at the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Affairs (MGIMO), once compared Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.
So MGIMO officially fired professor Zubov for his position on #Crimea, "harmful for the state". Wecome to 1937. http://t.co/YHr6kXhEEq
— Natalia Melnychuk (@pravolivo) March 26, 2014
21:32
26.3.2014
CNN on the cyberwar over Crimea.
Rival #hackers fighting proxy war over #Crimea http://t.co/8Md7SX7ClH #cybersecurity
— Cyveillance (@Cyveillance) March 26, 2014
21:34
26.3.2014
La Sevastopol?
Is Sevastapol the Atlantic City of E.Europe? The Macau? #Russia srsly weighing 'gambling zone' #Crimea http://t.co/4Q3750uuAj @Bloomberg
— Aureliano Buendia (@Aureliano_no_24) March 26, 2014
21:41
26.3.2014
From the wires, via our news desk:
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Russia has moved forces closer to the border with Ukraine in recent days despite assurances it would not invade. At a meeting with British counterpart Phillip Hammond Wednesday, Hagel said, "They [the Russians] continue to build up their forces." Hagel said he had received guarantees from Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu last week that Russia would not invade Ukraine. Hammond said "other Russian players, including Minister Shoigu, may express their views, but it's a moot point." Hammond added, "All evidence suggests that the Russian agenda is being very much run by President Putin personally."
22:05
26.3.2014
Barring any breaking news, that ends our blogging for March 26.
07:31
27.3.2014
Our Ukrainian Service says that six Ukrainian military officers detained by pro-Russian troops in Crimea have been released but five still remain in custody. The pro-Russian forces took the officers captive during their storming of Ukrainian military bases in Crimea.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said the released officers included Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, a commander who has been hailed by Ukrainians for defying the pro-Russian forces who besieged his base for almost three weeks.
Defense Ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov said five more servicemen are still in pro-Russian detention.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said the released officers included Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, a commander who has been hailed by Ukrainians for defying the pro-Russian forces who besieged his base for almost three weeks.
Defense Ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov said five more servicemen are still in pro-Russian detention.
07:32
27.3.2014
You can find our Ukrainian Service's story HERE (apologies, our Twitter embeds are misbehaving).
07:39
27.3.2014
From CNN's Barbara Starr:
A new classified intelligence assessment concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine, CNN has learned.
Two administration officials described the assessment but declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information.
The officials emphasized that nothing is certain, but there have been several worrying signs in the past three to four days.
“This has shifted our thinking that the likelihood of a further Russian incursion is more probable than it was previously thought to be,” one official said.
Two administration officials described the assessment but declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information.
The officials emphasized that nothing is certain, but there have been several worrying signs in the past three to four days.
“This has shifted our thinking that the likelihood of a further Russian incursion is more probable than it was previously thought to be,” one official said.