12:06
23.3.2014
Our Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak sent us this earlier:
The European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht yesterday slammed Russia for not doing enough to live up to the agreements Moscow has signed since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Speaking at the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum, De Gucht said that he could give an "endless row of examples" of trade commitments that Moscow has not lived up to since joining the trade club.
He also dismissed Russia as not being a big economy with the exception of its extractive sector.
He again called South Ossetia a "black hole" and blamed Russia for destabilizing Georgia.
The commissioner also said that Russia prevented a trade pact between Armenia and the EU last year by telling Yerevan not to expect Russian help over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave if Armenia signed the deal.
The European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht yesterday slammed Russia for not doing enough to live up to the agreements Moscow has signed since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Speaking at the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum, De Gucht said that he could give an "endless row of examples" of trade commitments that Moscow has not lived up to since joining the trade club.
He also dismissed Russia as not being a big economy with the exception of its extractive sector.
He again called South Ossetia a "black hole" and blamed Russia for destabilizing Georgia.
The commissioner also said that Russia prevented a trade pact between Armenia and the EU last year by telling Yerevan not to expect Russian help over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave if Armenia signed the deal.
11:48
23.3.2014
#Ukraine would need $4B+2yrs to go nuclear again, says MP Kaplin (#Klitschko's UDAR) http://t.co/2Sbfr8PL8X Tactical nuke capability?#Russia
— Ukrainian Updates (@Ukroblogger) March 23, 2014
11:39
23.3.2014
Ukrainian's Kanal 5 television quoting Aleskei Chalyy, the self-proclaimed mayor of Sevastopol, a saying all roadblocks outside the city have been removed.
Concrete-reinforced checkpoints were set up in February and were manned by pro-Russia forces who monitored all vehicle traffic going in and out of Sevastopol.
Following the city's accession to the Russian Federation and the subsequent establishment of a state border between Crimea and Ukraine, Kanal 5 cited Chalyy as saying, there was no need for roadblocks because far-right radicals would not be able to reach Sevastopol.
Concrete-reinforced checkpoints were set up in February and were manned by pro-Russia forces who monitored all vehicle traffic going in and out of Sevastopol.
Following the city's accession to the Russian Federation and the subsequent establishment of a state border between Crimea and Ukraine, Kanal 5 cited Chalyy as saying, there was no need for roadblocks because far-right radicals would not be able to reach Sevastopol.
11:31
23.3.2014
Another update from our newsdesk:
Ukraine’s President Oleksandr Turchynov says a top Ukrainian Air Force commander has been "abducted" and was being held in Crimea after his base was stormed yesterday by Russian forces.
Turchynov is demanding the immediate release of Colonel Yuliy Mamchur – the commander of Ukraine's Belbek Air Force base near Sevastopol.
Russian armored vehicles smashed into the base yesterday and were followed by Russian soldiers, who exchanged gunfire with Ukrainian troops who had refused to surrender.
At least one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in the clash.
Russia's Defense Ministry said today that the Russian flag is now flying over 189 military installations in Crimea.
It said the Ukrainian command-and-control warship Slavutych, which also was seized by Russian forces yesterday, is flying the new Crimean flag at Russia’s Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol. (Reuters, AP, AFP, ITAR-TASS,Interfax)
Ukraine’s President Oleksandr Turchynov says a top Ukrainian Air Force commander has been "abducted" and was being held in Crimea after his base was stormed yesterday by Russian forces.
Turchynov is demanding the immediate release of Colonel Yuliy Mamchur – the commander of Ukraine's Belbek Air Force base near Sevastopol.
Russian armored vehicles smashed into the base yesterday and were followed by Russian soldiers, who exchanged gunfire with Ukrainian troops who had refused to surrender.
At least one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in the clash.
Russia's Defense Ministry said today that the Russian flag is now flying over 189 military installations in Crimea.
It said the Ukrainian command-and-control warship Slavutych, which also was seized by Russian forces yesterday, is flying the new Crimean flag at Russia’s Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol. (Reuters, AP, AFP, ITAR-TASS,Interfax)
11:20
23.3.2014
Another update from RFE/RL's newsdesk:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that a Russian administration be put in place in Crimea within the next week.
Putin's decree -- issued today -- calls for police, civil defense, domestic intelligence, and other governmental structures to be aligned with Russian law and procedures by March 29.
It comes two days after Putin signed laws declaring Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine – an annexation that is not internationally recognized and has prompted U.S. and EU sanctions.
The Russian ruble is to be introduced in Crimea tomorrow as an official currency alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today that the Russian flag is now flying over 189 military installations in Crimea after more Ukrainian military bases on the peninsula were overrun by pro-Russian forces yesterday.
"At these garrisons, staff were assembled and solemn ceremonies were held to raise the Russian state flag and play the Russian anthem," the ministry said. (Reuters, AP, AFP, ITAR-TASS, Interfax)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that a Russian administration be put in place in Crimea within the next week.
Putin's decree -- issued today -- calls for police, civil defense, domestic intelligence, and other governmental structures to be aligned with Russian law and procedures by March 29.
It comes two days after Putin signed laws declaring Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine – an annexation that is not internationally recognized and has prompted U.S. and EU sanctions.
The Russian ruble is to be introduced in Crimea tomorrow as an official currency alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today that the Russian flag is now flying over 189 military installations in Crimea after more Ukrainian military bases on the peninsula were overrun by pro-Russian forces yesterday.
"At these garrisons, staff were assembled and solemn ceremonies were held to raise the Russian state flag and play the Russian anthem," the ministry said. (Reuters, AP, AFP, ITAR-TASS, Interfax)
11:17
23.3.2014
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who denounced Russia's "attempt to splinter Europe" on March 23, expanded on his comments in an interview with the German weekly "Welt am Sonntag" today.
"I am very worried that the attempt, contrary to international law, to correct the internationally recognized borders in our European neighborhood 25 years after the end of the Cold War could open a Pandora's box," he is quoted as saying.
He questioned whether Russia had thought through the consequences of its actions, considering its own multiethnic makeup. And, while calling the planned deployment of OSCE observers in Ukraine a step toward de-escalation of the conflict, he said the situation was "still anything but stable."
"I am very worried that the attempt, contrary to international law, to correct the internationally recognized borders in our European neighborhood 25 years after the end of the Cold War could open a Pandora's box," he is quoted as saying.
He questioned whether Russia had thought through the consequences of its actions, considering its own multiethnic makeup. And, while calling the planned deployment of OSCE observers in Ukraine a step toward de-escalation of the conflict, he said the situation was "still anything but stable."
11:14
23.3.2014
RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak has sent us this update:
NATO's top military commander has warned that Russia has a large military force deployed on Ukraine's borders and said he is worried it could pose a threat to Moldova's separatist Transdniester region.
U.S. General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, made the remarks today at the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum.
"Russia is acting much more like an adversary than a partner [with NATO]," Breedlove said.
He added that Russia now has a "very, very sizeable and very, very ready" military force deployed on Ukraine's eastern border – an "absolutely sufficient force postured… to run to Transdniester" if the Kremlin decides to do so.
Breedlove said those troop mobilizations – coming after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a new policy justifying the deployment of troops in foreign countries – "is very worrisome." (with reporting by Reuters)
NATO's top military commander has warned that Russia has a large military force deployed on Ukraine's borders and said he is worried it could pose a threat to Moldova's separatist Transdniester region.
U.S. General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, made the remarks today at the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum.
"Russia is acting much more like an adversary than a partner [with NATO]," Breedlove said.
He added that Russia now has a "very, very sizeable and very, very ready" military force deployed on Ukraine's eastern border – an "absolutely sufficient force postured… to run to Transdniester" if the Kremlin decides to do so.
Breedlove said those troop mobilizations – coming after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a new policy justifying the deployment of troops in foreign countries – "is very worrisome." (with reporting by Reuters)
10:51
23.3.2014
RFE/RL's newsdesk has been looking at how events in Crimea are being viewed in Minsk:
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says Russia's annexation of Crimea is a "bad precedent," but acknowledged the region is now a "de facto" part of Russia.
Asked on March 23 about his refusal to endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Lukashenka told reporters in Minsk: "As for recognition or not recognition, Crimea is part of Russia today. You can recognize it or not recognize this, but this will not change anything."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russian forces were deployed across Crimea last month to protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Only eight percent of eastern Belarus's population is ethnic Russian.
Nonetheless, Russian is the dominant language spoken across all of Belarus – raising concerns in Minsk that Moscow could target Belarus in the future using the same justification Putin gave for the seizure of Crimea. (Reuters, Itar-Tass, Interfax, "Foreign Affairs")
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says Russia's annexation of Crimea is a "bad precedent," but acknowledged the region is now a "de facto" part of Russia.
Asked on March 23 about his refusal to endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Lukashenka told reporters in Minsk: "As for recognition or not recognition, Crimea is part of Russia today. You can recognize it or not recognize this, but this will not change anything."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russian forces were deployed across Crimea last month to protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Only eight percent of eastern Belarus's population is ethnic Russian.
Nonetheless, Russian is the dominant language spoken across all of Belarus – raising concerns in Minsk that Moscow could target Belarus in the future using the same justification Putin gave for the seizure of Crimea. (Reuters, Itar-Tass, Interfax, "Foreign Affairs")
10:33
23.3.2014
This video of what seems to be a pro-EU musical flashmob in Odessa yesterday certainly lifts one's spirits.
10:11
23.3.2014
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service is running a live feed of pro-Ukrainian rally and pro-Russian rallies in the eastern city of Kharkiv: