16:45
17.3.2014
Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, says Ukraine is ready for negotiations with Russia but will never accept annexation. In an address to the nation, he said any actions inciting mass disorder will be regarded as a crime against the state.
17:33
17.3.2014
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov speaking in a televised address to the nation from Kyiv announcing partial mobilization:
"Dear compatriots, these are difficult times for Ukraine and each of us individually. Russian military forces are de facto holding Crimea under the barrels of their machine guns, justifying this aggression with a falsified and legally nonsensical referendum that will never be recognized either by Ukraine or by civilized world."
"On top of that, Russia has amassed its military forces on our national borders. They are threatening Ukraine with an all-out war."
"It is not the Russians who are marching down the streets of Moscow to thwart the attack against our country that are threatening Ukraine. It is the political leadership of the Russian Federation that is confronting us. They are living their imperial dream. They have a panic fear of the example of Ukraine, where the people toppled a totalitarian regime. What the Kremlin is afraid of most of all is a democratic, European, successful, and prosperous Ukraine that we are building today. This is the true motive of their aggression."
"We will do everything to avoid human casualties. We will do everything to resolve this conflict diplomatically. Nevertheless, a military threat to our country is real. This is why I signed an order today declaring a partial mobilization. Our parliament approved this decision. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots are voluntarily joining the ranks of our armed forces and National Guard to defend our motherland. It is these patriots that our decision is based upon."
"Provocateurs and pogromists are being sent our way; traitors and separatists are being funded. They want to splinter, ruin, and weaken our country. They are resorting to unlawful activities; they are trying to instigate mass unrest, incite people into occupying buildings, lynching, resistance of law enforcement structures and armed forces -- under the existing law all of this will be considered as collaboration with the armed aggressor and an act of treason. It will be punished severely according to the Ukrainian legislation and constitution."
"On top of that, Russia has amassed its military forces on our national borders. They are threatening Ukraine with an all-out war."
"It is not the Russians who are marching down the streets of Moscow to thwart the attack against our country that are threatening Ukraine. It is the political leadership of the Russian Federation that is confronting us. They are living their imperial dream. They have a panic fear of the example of Ukraine, where the people toppled a totalitarian regime. What the Kremlin is afraid of most of all is a democratic, European, successful, and prosperous Ukraine that we are building today. This is the true motive of their aggression."
"We will do everything to avoid human casualties. We will do everything to resolve this conflict diplomatically. Nevertheless, a military threat to our country is real. This is why I signed an order today declaring a partial mobilization. Our parliament approved this decision. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots are voluntarily joining the ranks of our armed forces and National Guard to defend our motherland. It is these patriots that our decision is based upon."
"Provocateurs and pogromists are being sent our way; traitors and separatists are being funded. They want to splinter, ruin, and weaken our country. They are resorting to unlawful activities; they are trying to instigate mass unrest, incite people into occupying buildings, lynching, resistance of law enforcement structures and armed forces -- under the existing law all of this will be considered as collaboration with the armed aggressor and an act of treason. It will be punished severely according to the Ukrainian legislation and constitution."
18:07
17.3.2014
The Russian and Crimean officials named by the EU sanctions are listed here, on page 13.
18:10
17.3.2014
The Russian officials on this EU sanctions list are as far from Kremlin policymaking as I am from playing in the NBA http://t.co/o6tXUhynny
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 17, 2014
18:21
17.3.2014
Jan Techau, director of the Carnegie Europe think tank in Brussels, says the limited first round of targeted EU sanctions and a draft list of 120-130 names leaked earlier are warnings to Russia that the list can be quickly augmented.
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
READ ON: EU, U.S. Fire Opening Salvo In Sanctions Conflict With Russia
18:22
17.3.2014
Window on Eurasia: Putin Plans to Annex Far More of Ukraine than Just Crimea, Illarionov Says http://t.co/T5ep655YeL
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) March 17, 2014
18:26
17.3.2014
From the wires:
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state.
06:24
18.3.2014
Here's the latest update from the wires:
The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has approved a draft treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.
The move comes shortly after Putin formally informed both houses of parliament of Crimea's request to join Russia -- the first legislative step required by the Russian Constitution if the peninsula is to be annexed from Ukraine.
Yesterday, Putin recognized Crimea as an independent state in defiance of the international community's insistence that it remains part of Ukraine. (AFP, Interfax, and Reuters)
The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has approved a draft treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.
The move comes shortly after Putin formally informed both houses of parliament of Crimea's request to join Russia -- the first legislative step required by the Russian Constitution if the peninsula is to be annexed from Ukraine.
Yesterday, Putin recognized Crimea as an independent state in defiance of the international community's insistence that it remains part of Ukraine. (AFP, Interfax, and Reuters)
06:34
18.3.2014
According to the Reuters news agency, Tokyo is now also taking measures against Russia:
Japan says it is slapping sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo today that the government is freezing all talks with Russia on relaxing visa requirements, and on all new negotiations on investment accords and new agreements on space and military activities.
Suga, who is the top government spokesman, also said, "We ask that Russia respect international law and respect the integrity of Ukraine and not move towards annexing Crimea." (Reuters)
Japan says it is slapping sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo today that the government is freezing all talks with Russia on relaxing visa requirements, and on all new negotiations on investment accords and new agreements on space and military activities.
Suga, who is the top government spokesman, also said, "We ask that Russia respect international law and respect the integrity of Ukraine and not move towards annexing Crimea." (Reuters)
06:53
18.3.2014
Here's a little more from our newsdesk on U.S. diplomatic efforts to dissuade Russia from intervening further in Ukraine:
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Warsaw today as he begins a two-day visit to Poland and Lithuania over the Ukrainian crisis.
Biden, who left Washington yesterday, is due to meet in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.
He will meet separately in Warsaw with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
In Vilnius, Biden will meet with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvian President Andris Berzins before leaving the region tomorrow.
The meetings with these NATO allies are part of a broader U.S. campaign to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to call off Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Latvia and Estonia share borders with Russia, while Poland and Lithuania are nearby. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Warsaw today as he begins a two-day visit to Poland and Lithuania over the Ukrainian crisis.
Biden, who left Washington yesterday, is due to meet in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.
He will meet separately in Warsaw with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
In Vilnius, Biden will meet with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvian President Andris Berzins before leaving the region tomorrow.
The meetings with these NATO allies are part of a broader U.S. campaign to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to call off Moscow's intervention in Ukraine.
Latvia and Estonia share borders with Russia, while Poland and Lithuania are nearby. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)