Russian parliament approves troop deployment in Ukraine
Russia's upper house of parliament has approved President Putin's request for Russian forces to be used in Ukraine.
He had asked that Russian forces be used "until the normalisation of the political situation in the country".
Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based in the Ukrainian region of Crimea, where many ethnic Russians live.
Kiev has reacted angrily to days of military movements in Crimea, accusing Moscow of trying to provoke the new government into an armed conflict.
Interim President Oleksander Turchynov has called an emergency session of his security chiefs.
Russia's Vladimir Putin submitted the request for troops "in connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to the lives of Russian citizens", the Kremlin said.
The BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow notes that he refers to the "territory of Ukraine" rather than specifically to Crimea, implying that troops could be used in other pro-Russian parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.
The request was approved unanimously within hours of it being made. During the debate, on [sic] legislator accused US President Barack Obama of crossing "a red line" with his comments on Friday that there would be costs if Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine.
The upper house has recommended that the Russian ambassador the US should be recalled, although the decision lies with Mr Putin.
'Provocation'
The request follow days of military activity in Crimea during which unidentified armed men moved in to take over the regional parliament, state television and telecommunications hubs.
Soldiers from Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea, are reported to be guarding some administrative buildings and military bases.
Amid the closure of airspace over Crimea's regional capital Simferopol on Friday evening, there were unconfirmed reports that Russian planes were flying in thousands of troops.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh said on Saturday there are now an extra 6,000 Russian troops in Crimea, alongside an additional 30 armoured vehicles.
Under the agreement governing the presence of the fleet in Crimea, the Russians must co-ordinate all troop movements outside the fleet's base with the Ukrainian authorities beforehand.
The newly-elected pro-Moscow leader of Crimea, Sergiy Aksyonov, earlier said he had appealed to Mr Putin for help to ensure peace on the peninsula - a request which the Kremlin said it would "not leave unnoticed".
Events in Crimea have angered the new interim government in Kiev - which does not recognise the province's new leadership - and has alarmed Western leaders.
Ukraine's acting President Oleksander Turchynov accused Russia of trying to provoke Kiev into "armed conflict", but said they would not react.
US President Barack Obama said on Friday that "any violation of Ukraine sovereignty... would be deeply destabilising".
He warned of the "costs" of any Russian intervention in the Ukraine and commended the interim government in Kiev for its "restraint".
Meanwhile, big pro-Russian rallies are being held in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea.
In Donetsk, Mr Yanukovych's traditional stronghold, demonstrators from a crowd of some 7,000 tried unsuccessfully to occupy the regional administration building, raising a Russian tricolour on a nearby flag-post
In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city, scuffles broke out when protesters with Russian flags tried to occupy the regional administration building
In Mariupol, in the south-east, hundreds of protesters carrying Russian flags gathered outside the city council in eastern and southern Ukraine.
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Source thinks the shit is really hitting the fan now. It's Georgia all over again. Putin is agitating the Russian minority to violence so that when Ukraine responds he can legitimize his presence and take over Crimea (at the very least).
On a related topic, there is a We the People petition circulating reminding the U.S. administration of its agreement to uphold the boundaries of Ukraine. Please sign it if you are so moved...
Lastly, there is a Russian-language LJ post written by a former Kremlin insider with more info about the situation. Translated by Google.
UPDATE: This is completely out of date at this point. Here are further developments: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/04/285653335/putin-says-those-arent-russian-forces-in-crimea
So Russia, after tons of threats and attempts to provoke Ukrainians (shooting in the air trying to scare troops away, taking over border checkpoints, etc), and after international condemnation of the situation led to the ruble falling and stocks dropping over 10% in one day, Putin comes out saying "JK, it wasn't us, but if it was us it was humanitarian!" In other words, moar backpedal, Putin!
Also, you should know that the Kremlin has propogandists on payroll to make comments in favor of Russia on the internet, especially on LJ (Russian owned), so just keep that in mind as you read comments.
He had asked that Russian forces be used "until the normalisation of the political situation in the country".
Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based in the Ukrainian region of Crimea, where many ethnic Russians live.
Kiev has reacted angrily to days of military movements in Crimea, accusing Moscow of trying to provoke the new government into an armed conflict.
Interim President Oleksander Turchynov has called an emergency session of his security chiefs.
Russia's Vladimir Putin submitted the request for troops "in connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to the lives of Russian citizens", the Kremlin said.
The BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow notes that he refers to the "territory of Ukraine" rather than specifically to Crimea, implying that troops could be used in other pro-Russian parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.
The request was approved unanimously within hours of it being made. During the debate, on [sic] legislator accused US President Barack Obama of crossing "a red line" with his comments on Friday that there would be costs if Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine.
The upper house has recommended that the Russian ambassador the US should be recalled, although the decision lies with Mr Putin.
'Provocation'
The request follow days of military activity in Crimea during which unidentified armed men moved in to take over the regional parliament, state television and telecommunications hubs.
Soldiers from Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea, are reported to be guarding some administrative buildings and military bases.
Amid the closure of airspace over Crimea's regional capital Simferopol on Friday evening, there were unconfirmed reports that Russian planes were flying in thousands of troops.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh said on Saturday there are now an extra 6,000 Russian troops in Crimea, alongside an additional 30 armoured vehicles.
Under the agreement governing the presence of the fleet in Crimea, the Russians must co-ordinate all troop movements outside the fleet's base with the Ukrainian authorities beforehand.
The newly-elected pro-Moscow leader of Crimea, Sergiy Aksyonov, earlier said he had appealed to Mr Putin for help to ensure peace on the peninsula - a request which the Kremlin said it would "not leave unnoticed".
Events in Crimea have angered the new interim government in Kiev - which does not recognise the province's new leadership - and has alarmed Western leaders.
Ukraine's acting President Oleksander Turchynov accused Russia of trying to provoke Kiev into "armed conflict", but said they would not react.
US President Barack Obama said on Friday that "any violation of Ukraine sovereignty... would be deeply destabilising".
He warned of the "costs" of any Russian intervention in the Ukraine and commended the interim government in Kiev for its "restraint".
Meanwhile, big pro-Russian rallies are being held in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea.
In Donetsk, Mr Yanukovych's traditional stronghold, demonstrators from a crowd of some 7,000 tried unsuccessfully to occupy the regional administration building, raising a Russian tricolour on a nearby flag-post
In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city, scuffles broke out when protesters with Russian flags tried to occupy the regional administration building
In Mariupol, in the south-east, hundreds of protesters carrying Russian flags gathered outside the city council in eastern and southern Ukraine.
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Source thinks the shit is really hitting the fan now. It's Georgia all over again. Putin is agitating the Russian minority to violence so that when Ukraine responds he can legitimize his presence and take over Crimea (at the very least).
On a related topic, there is a We the People petition circulating reminding the U.S. administration of its agreement to uphold the boundaries of Ukraine. Please sign it if you are so moved...
Lastly, there is a Russian-language LJ post written by a former Kremlin insider with more info about the situation. Translated by Google.
UPDATE: This is completely out of date at this point. Here are further developments: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/04/285653335/putin-says-those-arent-russian-forces-in-crimea
So Russia, after tons of threats and attempts to provoke Ukrainians (shooting in the air trying to scare troops away, taking over border checkpoints, etc), and after international condemnation of the situation led to the ruble falling and stocks dropping over 10% in one day, Putin comes out saying "JK, it wasn't us, but if it was us it was humanitarian!" In other words, moar backpedal, Putin!
Also, you should know that the Kremlin has propogandists on payroll to make comments in favor of Russia on the internet, especially on LJ (Russian owned), so just keep that in mind as you read comments.