Russian Invasion Of Ukraine (Formerly: Democratic Malaise Draws Ukraine Eastwards)

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Mike Giglio‏@mike_giglio22 mins
Young soldier at Ukrainian army camp near Russian border: "is it true America won't help us?"


Mike Giglio‏@mike_giglio15 mins
Ukraine soldier near Russia border: "If they come, they'll get theirs." But later: "we hope it won't happen. If u could only know how much."


Mike Giglio‏@mike_giglio10 mins
Ukraine soldier near Russia border: "it's the same as with Germany + Poland. Nobody gave them any reason, but they are searching for one."

Middle East News‏@MiddleEast_BRK·54 secs
#BreakingNews Ukrainian MoD spokesperson says 1 Ukrainian trooper dead in Russian attack in #Crimea. Unconfirmed so far


LBCI News English‏@LBCI_News_EN·27 secs
#Ukrainian serviceman killed during attack on Ukrainian base in Crimean capital Simferopol -Interfax quotes military spokesman Reuters


Russian Market‏@russian_market·5 secs
ONE UKRAINIAN SOLDIER KILLED DURING ASSAULT ON UKRAINIAN ARMY IN SIMFEROPOL BY RUSSIANS - DEFENSE MINISTER OF UKRAINE

Paul Waldie ‏@pwaldieGLOBE 3m

Bad sign: #Ukraine PM: "Russian soldiers have started shooting at Ukrainian military servicemen, and that is a war crime."

Is he dead?

Charles Dart ‏@CharlesMDart 1m

BREAKING: First military death in the Ukraine-Russia conflict has occurred as a Ukrainian officer has been shot and killed. #Ukraine

Oleksandr Piddubnyy ‏@Oleksander 58s

Ukrainian soldier was killed a few minutes ago by russian sniper in #Crimea It has began. ruSSian occupation in #Ukraine

Alex ‏@alex_snappy 1m

#ukraine serviceman killed - this is starting to get a bit hotter

bruce springnote ‏@BSpringnote 15 min
First Ukrainian soldier killed in the war with Russia #crimea


DollsYoann RT @cnnbrk: Ukrainian chief warrant officer dead after incident at Crimea base, nation's MOD spokesman says. http://cnn.it/1p6CXNG

Haroon Siddique ‏@Haroon_Siddique 3m

#Ukraine crisis: Soldier 'killed' at Crimean military base - live updates http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...b0930a0904b970 … via @guardian


Boris Zilberman ‏@rolltidebmz 1m

RT @inglesi We came across #Ukraine special forces near the Russian border today pic.twitter.com/W5FoL2ZfnY

Piers Scholfield ‏@inglesi 5m

Battalion of #Ukraine special forces approx 20 miles from the Russian border - on the move pic.twitter.com/4ussfbUNih

DasUwsb RT @BenBrownBBC: #Simferopol russian troops pushing back press at scene of shooting at Ukrainian base. Bursts of automatic fire heard http:…

6m
Ukrainian prime minister accuses Russia of a war crime; says conflict has moved from political to military stage - @guardian

2m
White House: US 'would not recognize' Russia's claimed annexation of Crimea - @petermaercbs

Ed Flanagan ‏@edmundflanagan 51m
Police won't tell us name of installation.
Our coordinate in #Simferopol are
Latitude: 44º 58' 30" N Longitude: 34º 08' 24" #Crimea

zerohedge‏@zerohedge·1 min
Ukraine Defense Minister Confirms 1 Soldier Killed, 2 Injured By Sniper

Ed Flanagan ‏@edmundflanagan 10m
Yellow bus has been pulled back.
Armed men with 50 caliber sniper rifles
seen taking positions around #Ukraine installation.

50 Cal Russian Style:
VKS "Vykhlop" - The best Russian large-caliber silenced sniper rifle
for SPETSNAZ FSB. And the newest 12,7mm assault rifle ASh-12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdvuZZOhW2U&app=desktop

VKS sniper rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VKS_sniper_rifle



also:
KSVK 12.7
Degtyarev sniper rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSVK_12.7



or maybe:
OSV-96
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSV-96



1m
Photo: Ukraine army tanks outside makeshift camp near border with Russia, in Donetsk region - @mike_giglio

6m
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney calls Russia's actions in Crimea a threat to international peace and security - @markknoller


keiffe ‏@keathmaronya 3m

I tell ya, that Vladimir Putin deserves a good clip around the ears. He's nothing but a bloody brat. #Crimea #Ukraine


Karpatenreizen ‏@Karpatenreizen 4m

Apparently about 6000 Crimean refugees are expected in ivanofrankivsk oblast only! Many ordinary Ukrainians host them. #hugovik #ukraine


MrMom ‏@Mrmom1231 40s
Jesus, Putin is annexing territory on Europes doorstep and #CNN is on its 500th consecutive hour of the missing plane.

zerohedge ‏@zerohedge · 1 min
WHITE HOUSE VOWS MORE ACTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE, SAYS MORE DESIGNATIONS TO COME UNDER SANCTIONS ORDER

zerohedge ‏@zerohedge · 1 min
ESTONIA'S PRESIDENT ILVES SAYS EU RESPONSE TO RUSSIA MUST BE MORE ROBUST, "SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT THE PRICE OF GAS".

zerohedge‏@zerohedge·1 min
U.S. VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS EXPLORING IDEA OF ROTATING U.S. GROUND AND NAVAL FORCES FOR TRAINING, EXERCISES IN BALTICS



BBC
16:31:
"All of the [Ukrainian] troops at the military base in Simferopol have now been arrested," the Ukrayinska Pravda website says. "Their ID cards and money have been confiscated. They were taken outside, lined up, and their weapons were taken from them," it quotes spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov as saying.

Kyle Schlegel ‏@schlegsua 1m
Time for #Ukraine to nationalize all #Russian assets on the mainland. Send a clear message to the Kremlin.

US Mediterranean Forces Go on High Alert, Rush Airlift to Israel. Russian Army on Comhttp://www.debka.com/article/23734/U...mbat-Readiness

Mike Giglio‏@mike_giglio4 mins
US official says Putin may invade E Ukraine. "But if he does that, it will be civil war. + it will be bloody + long." http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/residents-of-eastern-ukraine-warn-of-partisan-war-if-russia …


gandalf greybeard ‏@gerrydogma · 16 min
Report : Ukrainian warships moved into the middle of the lake Donuzlav in attempt to minimize capture

Natalia Melnychuk‏@pravolivo3 hrs
#Ukraine navy at 8 ships in Donuzlav harbor got ultimatum from Russian part to surrender by 10 pm tonight, otherwise - "zachistka by force".

Shaun Walker‏@shaunwalker716m
My Ukraine military source in Crimea confirmed to me death of a junior officer, wounding of a captain. Sounded distraught on phone.

Tom Barton ‏@TomBartonJourno 17 min
Reports via local police there are 2 dead in #Ukrainian base storming by Russian forces. Possible gun battle.

Denholm ‏@distress_flag 55s

I'm watching pravdatv's #Ukraine #Crimea live broadcast on @Ustream! Come join me http://ustre.am/17UvA ! http://ustre.am/17UvA

On the ground:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/pravda...20140318094412


KAL301 ‏@KAL301 3m

#ukraine "governement" is not relying on thier own might, but of the implied support of the EU and west. Bad idea.


motaz turk ‏@motazturk 38s

World war 3 is just around the corner!!! Yaaay #Crimea #Ukraine #Russia


I AM SULLY ‏@Powermanium 1m

Trying to convince a #Soros troll that "nuclear war is crazy", is difficult - their IQ tends to be below 80.


الحاج رامبو ‏@RamyOraby 1m

Like the old days of the cold war! #Ukraine #Russia #US #EU #Crimea


Harley Wallen ‏@HarleyTheSwede 2m

Watching American news: #Stockmarket, #MH370 #celebrities Meanwhile in Europe: #Ukraine and #Russia at #war #Crimea what a mess!! #WakeUp

RT @nickschifrin: Russian troops and pro-Russian militia completely in control of base. Russian flag flying. Militias completely surrounding it.

gandalf greybeard‏@gerrydogma5m
Killed Ukrainian was serviceman, a cartographer who worked at photogrammetric information center - Defense Ministry spokesperson

RT @EuromaidanPR: SOS! Violence continues:now #Russian troops breaking 2 the houses of military & ordering their families 2 move out!-DmytroTymchukFB #Crimea

Nick Schifrin‏@nickschifrin25m
We also saw evidence of cross fire. Marks on wall and broken windows of adjacent, unfinished apartment building show incoming bullets.

Nick Schifrin‏@nickschifrin20 mins
Crimean govt: pro-Russian militia members shot by Ukrainian soldiers. But no evidence of any anger among militia members I spoke with.

Angelo Pirri ‏@angelopirri 3m

Angelo predicts #Crimea will be rubble in 3 months. #Russia will then move into #Ukraine. #Putin wants #Kiev not Crimea. Kiev = GRAIN

Raymond Pritchett‏@Galrahn2 mins
Russian military surrounding Ukrainian naval station at Cape Fiolent. Civilians fleeing area, believe battle imminent.
gandalf greybeard‏@gerrydogma·16m
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov tells Secretary Kerry that western sanctions are "unacceptable" and "will not remain without consequences":


Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR·9m
#Crimea, #Yalta: Colonel of Foreign Intelligence Service of #Ukraine kidnapped near his house. http://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2014/03/18/7019470/ … | PR News


Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR·14 secs
SOS! #Evpatoriya and #Nazerne: journalists needed. Missile and anti-aircraft military unit 55, attack is planned @KRYMSOS | PR #Crimea


RT ‏@RT_com · 1 min
#Kiev authorizes troops to use force, live ammo 'in self defense' http://rt.com/news/kiev-clashes-rioters-police-571/

Christopher Miller‏@ChristopherJM·3 mins
2 Reported Killed in First Bloodshed of Russia-Ukraine Crisis
http://mashable.com/2014/03/18/russi...WVjeXdndnRfIn0

Euromaidan PR ‏@EuromaidanPR 4m
Acting President of #Ukraine Turchynov: #Putin is responsible for the death of Ukrainian military http://www.day.kiev.ua/uk/news/18031...ih-vinen-putin

Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR·2 mins
#Ukrainian soldiers have been detained in #Crimea -@TheWorldPost |PR Post #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/4DpIzHNG8N



Ben Judah‏@b_judah19m
In Kiev shocked how many ppl - English speaking civil society types - have told me they put their names down for call up if Russia invades.

Mark MacKinnon‏@markmackinnon10 mins
As hostilities deepen over Ukraine, expats in Moscow get nervous: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/amid-crimea-crisis-some-foreigners-in-moscow-worry-about-personal-safety/496296.html?ask_mobile=Y …




Maxim Eristavi ‏@MaximEristavi 1h
Watch MPs from far-right @vo_svoboda beat, humiliate a state TV-channel CEO,
forced him to write a resignation letter
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/45037911 …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N_hAB8WZLo


It is being deleted in many spots, don't know how long it will be "up".


Russian Market‏@russian_market·6m
#BREAKING Pro-Russian Donetsk Governor Gubarev beaten to coma in Kiev jail http://annatubten.livejournal.com/376246.html

Russian Market‏@russian_market·3m
Protesters in Donetsk demanded Gubarev's release from jail who is now put in coma in Kiev prison.

gandalf greybeard‏@gerrydogma11m
Two U-2's arriving at RAF Fairford today http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2811/13246690083_664711c4b3_b.jpg … & http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/13246686803_d541122b63_b.jpg …

zerohedge‏@zerohedge3m
Putin Spokesman Says Ukraine Forces Must Choose Sides: BBC



Ian Sherwood‏@IanJSherwood1 hr
" .@JohnKerry: #Russia's President Putin today gave a speech rewriting history, and it only further put him on the wrong side of history"

Turkey Warns Russia it Will Blockade Bosphorus if Violence Occurs

According to diplomatic sources, Turkey has threatened Russia with a blockade of the Bosphorus Strait

The threat to close the Bosphorus to Russia comes from a report by Hvylya, citing a Turkish diplomatic source. According to the source, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan yesterday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone and warned of the consequences for conflict with Ukraine. The Hvylya source was also reported on by UNIAN.

Concerns were also raised about the possible threat to ethnic Crimean Tatars in the region, citing recent murders and communications with Tatar leadership. Erdogan’s call to Putin warned that if Russia invades Ukraine, and so-called ‘Crimean self-defense’ forces engage in violence against the Tatar minority, Turkey will be forced to close passage into the Black Sea to Russian ships.

In a separate announcement, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu, said Moscow was pursing “self-willed policy” in the region and urged Russia to respect the territorial integrity of its neighboring countries. ”The security of Tatars is the main strategic priority for Turkey,” he remarked. ”Pandora’s box should not be opened. If you create a de facto situation in Ukraine, this will have a domino effect on all the countries in the Eurasia region,” Davutoglu said in televised remarks made the day of the Russian implemented referendum.

While the sea-port of Sevastopol has been lauded for its strategic importance as the only warm water port in the Black Sea Russia controls, restriction to it would be a self-made prison. Russian activity in the eastern basin of the Mediterranean is dependent on this passage to Crimea, and restriction would cut off arms shipments between Russia and the Syrian port in Tartus, as as well as lucrative arms deals with Egypt. As Amatzia Baram of Haaretz writes, “for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Sevastopol port is indirectly the key to Syria and perhaps to Egypt and the entire Mediterranean in the future.”

http://ukrainianpolicy.com/turkey-wa...ade-bosphorus/




Giuseppe Stilo‏@GiuseppeStilo3·2 mins
#Ukraine navy: 40 ships, 20 docked at bases at Sevastopol & Donuzlav Bay. They will be seized by Black Sea Fleet?
http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140318/188...-Lawmaker.html …


Russia Could Take Command of Half of Ukrainian Fleet – Lawmaker




Ukrainian Fleet
© RIA Novosti. Vasily Batanov

17:20 18/03/2014

Tags: Russian Black Sea Fleet, Vladimir Komoyedov, Ukraine, Russia
Related News

• Russia Floats Out New Frigate for Black Sea Fleet
• Russian Fleet Poses No Threat to Ukraine – Senior Official

MOSCOW, March 18 (RIA Novosti) – Up to 20 warships and auxiliary vessels of the Ukrainian navy could become part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet following the reunification of Crimea with Russia, a senior Russian lawmaker said Tuesday.

According to Adm. (Ret.) Vladimir Komoyedov, chair of the State Duma Committee on Defense, the Ukrainian navy comprises some 40 ships, 20 of which are currently docked at naval bases in Crimea at Sevastopol and Donuzlav Bay.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Crimea signed a treaty Tuesday reunifying Crimea and the city of Sevastopol with Russia. The Russian parliament is expected to ratify the treaty imminently.

“We can now assume that the ships that remain in Crimea will initially become part of the Crimean self-defense forces and will later join Russia’s Black Sea Fleet,” Komoyedov told RIA Novosti.
The Ukrainian ships that could be taken over by Russia include two corvettes, a command ship, several missile boats, minesweepers and the only Ukrainian submarine – the Foxtrot-class Zaporizhia diesel-electric boat, the admiral said.

© 2014 RIA Novosti

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The previous 11 episodes can be found posted here.

Russian Roulette: The Invasion of Ukraine (Dispatch Twelve)

Published on Mar 17, 2014

Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News

On March 13, two people were killed during clashes between pro-Russian & pro-Ukraine groups in the eastern Ukrainian town of Donetsk. Two days later, friends and family gathered for the funeral of Dmytro Cherniavsky — a former press secretary for the Ukrainian Nationalist party, Svoboda.



Russian Roulette: The Invasion of Ukraine (Dispatch Thirteen)


Published on Mar 17, 2014
Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News

Some people might say that two weeks isn't enough time to prepare for referendum to separating from the country that you've been a part of for the last 70 years. But that's not what a reported 95.5 percent of Crimeans think, according to the official vote count. VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky visits the polling stations in Simferopol, including predominantly Tartar areas where the pro-Russian fervor is seemingly absent.



Russian Roulette: The Invasion of Ukraine (Dispatch Fourteen)

Published on Mar 18, 2014 Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News

The day after Crimea's referendum, VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky tried to figure out what country he's in, and what - if anything - has changed.

[Avvakum]

Germany is an ally.

Putin and Russia are not allies.

Where is a real American Patriot? I'm on the side of America. Which means I am NOT on the side of Obama.

It's been said before on this forum that Merkel is dangerous, I don't trust her background nor do I trust a resurgent Germany, especially a germany that dominates the EU and rules Europe economically where they failed to do so militarily, twice.

Putin and Russia aren't allies of us either, but they don't have to be enemies either. I don't like Putin in many ways and don't exactly trust him either, but I sure as hell don't trust the gangsters and neo-nazis that Obama and Merkel are supporting in the Ukraine, just as I didn't support the Jihadi animals they supported in the so-called Arab Spring in Libya and in Syria. I would much rather do what President Bush did, woo and support the Russians in their sphere, like in Chechnya, and get them to help us in the Middle East against the other Islamofascists. We lost Russia and Putin thanks to that scum Bill Clinton and now Obama, it doesn't have to be that way. Now they have to ally with their geopolitical enemies like China.

I know you're a Patriot sir, as am I. But the way I see it we're really up against Islam, China, and some neo-nazi bastards out there, and need not be against Russia. Russia and Israel are close friends now, as are Putin and Netanyahu personally, and that makes me think the Israelis know the real score.

The enemies of civilization want Russia, the United States, and Israel to be destroyed, that would be much easier to do if they can get us against each other geopolitically.

Can't say i'm against anyone that Obama is against, and if I am, i'd have to reexamine my reasons why, because I certainly don't trust Obama.

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Obama Dispatches Biden to Poland to “Send Message” to Putin

March 18, 2014 by Daniel Greenfield 2 Comments





Print This Post


Biden is here. The problem is solved.

I’m not sure what the message is. I hope he didn’t give it to Biden or it’s lost forever.

But I’m sure Putin is intimidated now that we sent our village idiot to Poland to reassure them that we won’t abandon them like we did in Ukraine. (No, we will.)

Joe Biden Lands in Poland to Send ‘Message’ to Vladimir Putin
Biden plans to deliver “the message of strong reassurance and support for the security of our NATO allies,” a senior administration official told reporters Monday.

And nothing says strong reassurance like sending the most expendable member of our government to deliver a speech.

With limited options, the United States was seeking ways to show it won’t stand idly by as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty for the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea to join Russia. So far, Putin has been undeterred by sanctions and visa bans levied by the U.S. and the European Union, and there’s no U.S. appetite for military intervention.

So the only answer is… more sanctions. They’ve never worked, but this time is bound to be different.

Joe Biden warned Russia on Tuesday that the U.S. and Europe will impose further sanctions as Moscow moved to annex part of Ukraine.

Then Joe Biden turned to his weakest point. Logic.

“Russia has offered a variety of arguments to justify what is nothing more than a land grab, including what he said today,” Biden said in Poland, which shares a border with both Russia and Ukraine. “But the world has seen through Russia’s actions and has rejected the flawed logic behind those actions.”

Now that the flawed logic is rejected, the problem is solved. All Putin has to do is realize that his logic is flawed and all the soldiers will leave.

In a clear warning to Moscow not to test other nations along its border, Biden said the U.S. commitment to defending its NATO allies is “ironclad.”

Absolutely. Unless something changes.

Vice President Joseph R. Biden promised Poland and the Baltic states on Tuesday that the United States would protect them from any Russian aggression similar to what has taken place in Crimea.

You know how we didn’t protect Ukraine or even agree to give it any weapons? We totally won’t treat you that way.

Mr. Obama has also stepped up his engagement, speaking recently to Prime Minister Tusk. He interrupted a recent golf weekend in Florida to hold a conference call with the three Baltic leader.

Interrupted a golfing weekend? Now that’s commitment.

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Laura Walker ‏@LauraWalkerKC2h
Aleksandr Krotov, a captain in #Ukraine's naval fleet, says base is now mostly in the hands of Crimean irregulars and Russian troops

Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet Russian special forces are operating in Eastern Ukraine, Luganska, Donetsk, Kharkiv. Sabotage done in Zaporizzhya


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet In Artemovsk (Donets-region) Ukrainian military equipment for mobilisation is being blocked by armed men.


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet Major Russian tank units are moving towards Ukrainian border and Belgorod (40k across the border and 70k from Kharkiv.


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet Russian attack is expected during the night."


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet Ukrainian intelligence arrested today Russian leader for a provocateur/special forces unit in Dnepropetrovsk"


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
TT "@Herravaldet Those who've followed me know my info was correct ...main sources pleading to the outside to realise we're v close to war"


Oscar Jonsson ‏@OAJonsson 1h
I can not speak of the authenticity of the last tweets I've retweeted, but they sound worrying indeed.

= Headline Hydrant = ‏@HeHy_co 34m

#Ukraine grapples with despair in Crimea takeover - #businessweek http://hehy.co/gTQ8vMG


Vivienne McNeny ‏@TheSociableHSch 35m

The war in #Ukraine is badly affecting the social system http://bit.ly/PC6pkw @kimdeblecourt #indiegogo #HelpSvetlana


News Addicted ‏@News_Addicted_ 1m

Can Obama Rise 2 Carters Level? http://j.mp/1j3io2W #EuropeanUnion #NATO #Russia #Ukraine


laraffinee ‏@laraffinee 2m

I am stunned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea is being tolerated by the World. What's next? #Russia #Ukraine


World News ‏@WorldNewsGlobe 1m

Anger and despair compete as #Ukraine comes to grips with helplessness over Crimea takeover .. #WorldNews http://q.gs/5zz2i


Spoiler De Monk ‏@Snarkky 2m

Russia 1, Regime Changers 0 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central...01-170314.html … #Ukraine #tcot #tlot #phnm #sgp #ocra #jcot #p2


RT ‏@EuromaidanPR: #Ukrainian marines are defending their ships in Donuzlav lake with the grenades in their hands http://tsn.ua/politika/ukrayinski-mo...ah-340551.html … | PR News #Crimea




Mike Giglio ‏@mike_giglio2h
"The world’s history is rife with wars begun to restore national dignity." Why Putin Did It, by @csdickey http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/18/why-putin-did-it.html …


Kalashnikitty ‏@CustosDivini 5h
#Israel's defense chief says #Obama is projecting weakness
http://reut.rs/1efSNnE''

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"Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about glasnost and perestroika and democracy in the coming years. These are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant change within the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our aim is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep." Mikhail Gorbachev, speech to the Soviet Politburo, November 1987

Mikhail Gorbachev supports Crimea referendum

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has expressed support for the recent referendum in Crimea.

“If until now Crimea had been joined to Ukraine because of Soviet laws that were taken without asking the people, then now the people (of Crimea) have decided to rectify this error,” Gorbachev told the Interfax news agency on Monday.

Gorbachev described the referendum as a “success that responded to the expectations of Crimeans” and urged the world to respect the results.

The former Soviet leader also commented on the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union against some Russian officials.

Gorbachev said the will of the people in the region should be welcomed rather than punished.

“For sanctions to be imposed there should be a very serious basis and they must be supported by the United Nations,” he said, adding, however, “The possible taking of Crimea into Russian territory does not constitute such a basis.”

On Monday, US President Barack Obama issued an executive order that imposes sanctions on 11 Russian, Crimean, and Ukrainian individuals for “contributing to the situation in Ukraine.”

Obama’s order freezes any assets of the officials that are inside the United States or “hereafter come within the United States.” The order also bans the individuals from travelling to the United States.

The sanctions came after nearly 97 percent of voters in Crimea voted on March 16 to join Russia.

The European Union has also imposed sanctions on 21 individuals, including three senior Russian commanders, the prime minister of Crimea, a deputy speaker of the Duma and other senior officials.

[Ryan Ruck]

Residents In Ukraine's Luhansk Want To Join Russia

March 17, 2014

Crimea voted to join Russia on Sunday and cities in east Ukraine wish to follow in their footsteps. Pro-Russians in Donetsk and Kharkiv have staged many protests since parliament ousted Russia-backed president Viktor Yanukovych on February 22. Ethnic Russians in Luhansk are the latest to voice their wish to be a part of Russia.

Sixty-four-year-old Svitlana Kliuyeva told The Kyiv Post she did not want to be photographed with Ukrainian hero Taras Shevchenko in the background. She supported the Crimean referendum and wants to join Russia.

"I like Russia, it is close to me. I still think of Moscow as my capital," she says. When asked what Ukraine is to her, she replies: "Nothing."

Ethnic Ukrainians edge out ethnic Russians for the majority by just a little in Luhansk.

In Luhansk, which is steadily losing population, 47 percent are ethnic Russians with ethnic Ukrainians holding a bare majority. Russian is the native language for 85 percent of the citizens. In the past weeks, the city's natural sympathy for Russia, coupled with fear of western Ukrainians' nationalism, led to powerful emotions that could spell trouble for Kyiv's central government.

"I'm against war, but if the fascists from the Right Sector come here, I will take a gun and I will fight them," says Oleksandr Syvolapov, 54, standing at the rally.

"Nationalism is the worst. I would sooner join Russia than fascistic Kyiv," he said.

When asked if he was comfortable living with Ukrainian as the only state language, Syvolapov said: "I'm against it. I don't speak the pigs' language."

Pro-Russians in Luhansk chose Alexander Kharitonov as their spokesman and leader to push for a referendum similar to the one in Crimea. He said the people in Luhansk do not recognize the government in Kyiv and consider them fascists, which is the way Russia views them. The West asked Russia several times to hold diplomatic talks with Kyiv, but Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the government is illegitimate and no talks will be held until a real leader emerges.

The older generation wants the stability of the Soviet Union. Many in Crimea voted to join Russia for better jobs, better wages and economic freedom. Syvolapov said Luhansk does not have many jobs and most people do not earn much at the jobs they do have.

The younger generation in Luhansk feel closer to Russia, but do not feel hatred towards Ukraine. 21-year-old Olga Ayrapetyan, who attends college in a central Ukraine city, feels closer to Russia, but speaks Ukrainian and Russian. She reads news sources from both countries before she decides her stance on any issue.

"Of course I don't believe these tales about fascists coming here," she says, smiling. "We are all different, in the east and west and center of Ukraine. But we in Luhansk simply feel more bonded with Russia."

[Ryan Ruck]

Ukrainian Soldier Fatally Shot At Base In Crimea

March 18, 2014

One Ukrainian soldier was killed and an officer wounded in an incident at a base near Simferopol, the Crimean regional capital.

In a statement, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said the assailants “were wearing military uniforms of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” The ministry said it had now authorized its soldiers in Crimea to respond with live fire in self-defense.

The incident Tuesday afternoon began when unidentified assailants “stormed” the base, said Vladislav Seleznyov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military. It’s unclear whether they were part of the Russian military or a volunteer militia.

He said guns were fired into the air, and it is unclear whether the two victims were struck by stray bullets or if they were fired at directly.

Seleznyov said a captain was wounded and taken to a hospital for treatment. The other Ukrainian soldier died of his wounds. His rank was not available.

Seleznyov said a truck flying a Russian flag was blockading the base’s gate. Many vehicles in Crimea have Russian flags nowadays, and the presence of one is not necessarily an indication that the truck belongs to the Russian military.

Citing the storming of the base in Crimea, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that the conflict with Russia had moved from a “political to a military phase.”

A spokeswoman for Yatsenyuk’s office confirmed that one soldier was killed another was wounded. She said Yatsenyuk had called for top defense officials from Ukraine, the United States, Britain and Russia — signatories of the Budapest Memorandum, or the 1994 document guaranteeing Ukraine’s territorial integrity for surrendering its Soviet-era nuclear weapons — to urgently convene to defuse the crisis.

BBC reporter Ben Brown, from a base in Simferopol, reported gunfire:

#Simferopol russian troops pushing back press at scene of shooting at Ukrainian base. Bursts of automatic fire heard pic.twitter.com/gkIQwiCAZC

— Ben Brown (@BenBrownBBC) March 18, 2014

Earlier Tuesday, Yatsenyuk — in Russian — told a TV audience in Ukraine that he wanted to ease the situation between his country and Russia.

“Despite the armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine, I will do everything possible not only to keep the peace but also to build a genuine partnership with Russia and good neighbor relations,” Yatsenyuk said.

[vector7]

Dem Senator on MSNBC: Russia’s “Weak” Invasion Proof of Obama’s “Strength”

March 18, 2014 by Daniel Greenfield 0 Comments


If Russia invades Alaska, just think how weak Putin will look then.

Senator Chris Murphy went to the Ukraine. Then he came back to appear on Chris Hayes’ All In on MSNBC to explain how everything is just fine.

“Frankly the fact that we are here today with a very weak Russia, having the entirety of the Ukraine turn away and having engaged in a panicky reaction is partly a result of the United States’ strength on this issue, standing with the protesters,” Senator Chris Murphy said.

Civilians might be a bit confused. Usually it’s the countries doing the invading who are strong and the countries standing there frowning impotently who are weak. But soft power advocates know that real strength comes from not invading countries and not doing anything to stop those who do.

Obama’s minions trying to claim that supporting the protesters from a distance is strength is cynical and hypocritical. It’s the greatest show of strength from Obama Inc. since he eventually decided to sorta support the Iranian protesters, but eventually cut a deal with Iran to let it go nuclear anyway.

Chris Hayes, always eager to go to the left of the left, worried that sanctions on Russia would “escalate” the situation.
Murphy replied that, “You’ve got to give Putin the chance to reverse course.”

Why would Putin reverse course considering that he just successfully seized the Crimea and Obama has made it clear that he will do nothing about it?

Elsewhere, Murphy frantically kept on spinning, claiming that this is really a big loss for Putin.

He pointed out that the Crimean population is about 2 million out of a total of 45 million people in Ukraine.
“Ultimately, if the end result is that the other 43 million join the European Union, this is a huge loss for Putin, not a win,” he said.

Murphy hasn’t gotten the memo, but Putin isn’t stopping with Crimea. It’s not clear that he will stop at all. Not when Obama is showing so much “strength”.

But fortunately Murphy has the solution.

First President Obama’s humorous Web interview went viral. Now it’s a bona fide phenomenon, at least one Democratic senator said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, plans to speak about the “Between Two Ferns Effect” on the chamber floor Wednesday morning, a reference to Mr. Obama’s decision to tout his health care law this week on a parody show hosted by comedian Zach Galifianakis.

Poor pathetic Putin. How can he hope to win without the “Between Two Ferns Effect”?

[American Patriot]

this really says it all about the world....

MrMom ‏@Mrmom1231 40s
Jesus, Putin is annexing territory on Europes doorstep and #CNN is on its 500th consecutive hour of the missing plane.

[Ryan Ruck]

Well, at least they aren't calling them "gunmen" anymore...

Russian Forces Storm Ukraine Naval HQ In Crimea

March 19, 2014

Russian troops and unarmed men stormed Ukraine's naval headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Wednesday and raised the Russian flag in a tense but peaceful takeover that signals Moscow's intent to neutralize any armed opposition.

Russian soldiers, and so-called "self-defense" units of mainly unarmed volunteers who are supporting them across the Black Sea peninsula, moved in early in the morning and quickly took control.

Shortly after the incident, Ukraine's acting Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh said in Kiev that the country's forces would not withdraw from Crimea even though Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a treaty to make it part of Russia.

But an hour later, Ukrainian servicemen, unarmed and in civilian clothing, began walking out of the headquarters.

Interfax Ukraine news agency said the commander of the Ukrainian navy, Admiral Serhiy Haiduk, was among those who left and was driven away by officers of Russia's FSB intelligence service. The report could not be independently confirmed.

The first group of servicemen was followed within a few minutes by a handful of troops in Ukrainian uniform, looking shell-shocked at the dramatic turn of events.

"This morning they stormed the compound. They cut the gates open, but I heard no shooting," said Oleksander Balanyuk, a captain in the navy.

"This thing should have been solved politically. Now all I can do is stand here at the gate. There is nothing else I can do," he told Reuters, appearing ashamed and downcast.

Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported that Alexander Vitko, commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet which is based in Sevastopol, had been involved in talks at the headquarters.

Viktor Melnikov, in charge of the "self-defence" unit, said talks were going on to negotiate a surrender.

"We've had difficult negotiations with the command here," he told reporters. "Some Ukrainian servicemen are already leaving, without their uniforms, but there was no violence."

A Reuters reporter saw three armed men, possibly Russian soldiers in unmarked uniforms, at the gate and at least a dozen more inside the compound.

PROTECTION FROM "FASCISTS"

In Kiev, pro-Western Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk ordered his first deputy prime minister and the acting defence minister to fly to Crimea to "resolve the situation," a senior minister told a cabinet meeting.

But Sergei Askyonov, Crimea's new prime minister since the Russian takeover, said Vitaly Yarema and Ihor Tenyukh were not wanted in Crimea and would not be permitted to land.

Thousands of Russian soldiers took control of Crimea in the buildup to a weekend referendum last weekend in which the region, with ethnic Russians in the majority, voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and join Moscow.

Putin said his move to take control of Crimea was justified by what he calls "fascists" in Kiev who overthrew pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovich last month after three months of often deadly street protests.

Ukraine and Western governments have dismissed the referendum, which has triggered the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War, as a sham, and say there is no justification for Putin's actions.

Moscow officially denies deploying extra troops and Russian soldiers in the region are wearing unmarked uniforms, making it difficult to verify exactly who is who on the ground.

In Crimea's main city, Simferopol, where one Ukrainian serviceman was killed after a shooting on Tuesday, the situation was calm on Wednesday.

It was the first death on the Black Sea peninsula from a military clash since the region came under Russian control three weeks ago. Ukrainian prime minister Yatseniuk denounced it as a "war crime".

Aksyonov, Crimea's pro-Moscow leader, suggested the incident was the fault of "provocateurs" opposed to the annexation of the region to Russia.

"Unfortunately, two people were killed," he said, speaking in Moscow. "I'm sure we will find these scoundrels. The security service of the Crimean Republic is investigating."

(Additional reporting by Mike Collett-White in Simferopol and Steve Gutterman in Moscow; Writing by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Ron Popeski)

[vector7]

Blake Hounshell‏@blakehounshell40 mins
“Crimea’s choicest state assets have already been taken over by pro-Russian forces in the peninsula” http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/66a08912-aeba-11e3-a088-00144feab7de.html#axzz2wOzMHAqg …

Kevin Bishop‏@bishopk5h
Russian MOD: Quotas for OSCE inspection of miltary facilites exhausted. Next visit will be last. Treaty overview: http://www.acq.osd.mil/tc/treaties/vienna_2011/execsum.htm ….


Steve Rosenberg‏@BBCSteveR4h
Ukraine's 25th Airborne division on the move in Eastern Ukraine pic.twitter.com/bvuaKNVFFI

Daniel Sandford‏@BBCDanielS56m
Ukrainian police officers in Crimea "who remain loyal to their oath" have been offered the option of redeployment to other parts of Ukraine


max seddon‏@maxseddon·3m
For those of you just joining us, Russia has seized Ukrainian Navy HQ, captured the admiral. Irregulars are here too but troops in charge

13:57 UN secretary general may meet with Russian president - source in Moscow

14:11 Western sanctions won't disrupt state defense orders, exports - NPO High Precision Weapons

14:39 WESTERN STANCE ON UKRAINE EVENTS RUNS COUNTER TO 1994 BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM - RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

14:41 Russia's strategic submarine forces guarantee Russia's security - commander-in-chief of Russian Navy

http://www.interfax.com/news.asp

Russian constitutional court approves treaty on Crimea's accession into Russia, court chairman says - Interfax

15:11 Bridge over Kerch Strait should carry motor, railroad transport - Putin

http://www.interfax.com/

Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR40 mins
#Ukrainian military airport in #Kirovsk, #Crimea surrounded by #Russian snipers tonight http://bit.ly/1j53QQv | PR News


Donald Draper‏@DonDraper7621 secs
Russia to Begin Military Aviation Exercises in Regions Bordering Ukraine -- Interfax


Russia Launches Military Aviation "Drills" Near East Ukraine

Just days before the annexation of Crimea, while promising that they would not instigate actions to antagonize the West, Russia launched a massive unscheduled military drill. Now, with Crimea under their pro-Russian forces control, and despite promises that Putin seeks to go no further than Crimea, the Wall Street Journal reports that Russia will begin unscheduled military aviation exercises in regions bordering Ukraine. The crews will be practicing "actions during airstrikes" on enemy military targets, communications jamming, air defense and attacks by military jets, the spokesman said.http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...r-east-ukraine



bruce springnote‏@BSpringnote9m
Ukrainian troops in Perevalni giving up arms and surrendering to Russians

zerohedge‏@zerohedge34s
UKRAINE GOVT SHOULD WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM CRIMEA, KLITSCHKO SAYS

Sky News Newsdesk ‏@SkyNewsBreak 1 min

David Cameron says allies should discuss whether to expel #Russia permanently from the G8 if Moscow takes further steps on #Ukraine

Roland Oliphant‏@RolandOliphant9m
Seems clear it'll be over soon. Ukrainian forces packing up their personal effects going home. Reports Perevalnoye is surrendering too.



The Associated Press‏@AP14m
BREAKING: Vice President Biden says US will respond to any aggression against NATO allies.




max seddon‏@maxseddon·16m
Defense ministry confirms Ukrainian admiral Haiduk captured by Russians. Apparently led from the Sevastopol base in handcuffs

Alexander Marquardt‏@MarquardtA·11 mins
Russians control Ukrainian Navy HQ in Sevastopol. Ukrainian troops coming out, Lt Col says 100 still inside.




Luke Baker‏@LukeReuters9 mins
A few days ago, annexation of #Crimea would have meant #Russia's expulsion from G8. Now Cameron says expulsion only if Moscow goes further

Alexander Marquardt‏@MarquardtA3 hrs
When Lavrov called Putin during the six-hour London talks with Kerry, Putin refused to take his call. #Crimea http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303563304579447300718769492?mod=WS J_hp_RightTopStories&mg=reno64-wsj …



The_News_DIVA‏@The_News_DIVA27s
Ukraine's national security and defense council now in session to discuss Crimea, official statement says - @Reuters


Jake Turk‏@randomdijit12 mins
Russians are provoking Tatars to lash out. Great restraint so far, but already wistful talk of "help" from Syria vets http://gu.com/p/3nkxj/tw


32m

US Vice President Biden, citing reports of armed attacks in Ukraine, says Russia is on 'dark path' to isolation - @Reuters


36m
Latvian president says Baltic region needs to focus on gas transport, storage links after Ukraine crisis - @Reuters
end of alert

38m
Lithuanian president says she sees Russia action as 'direct threat to our regional security,' says must take all necessary measures to protect against threats - @Reuters

PzFeed Top News ‏@PzFeed 6m
URGENT: Officer at Ukrainian base at Evpatoria, Ukraine says large number of Russian troops preparing to storm them. Via @Reevellp

Raymond Pritchett‏@Galrahn17m
Russia looks to be focusing troops to remove high profile, but otherwise soft Ukrainian military targets in Crimea today.


Raymond Pritchett‏@Galrahn8m
The NATO rhetoric today appears intended to put pressure on Russia. Not convinced that will work, NATO is being too predictable.

Thomas Grove‏@tggrove18 mins
RT @danbbaer For 3rd straight time in a week, 56 agree to @OSCE monitors for Ukraine, and Russia objects. And can't even explain why.


17:10 Duma to consider ratifying Crimea accession agreement on Thursday
http://www.interfax.com/news.asp

Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR9m
#Russian occupants captured #Evpatoriya aircraft repair plant & measurement base http://tsn.ua/ukrayina/rosiyski-zagarbniki-siloyu-vignali-ukrayinskih-viyskovih-z-bazi-v-yevpatoriyi-340717.html … |PR #Crimea pic.twitter.com/UwHWwLMMP8

John Schindler‏@20committee2 mins
If Russian authorities are really pushing Crimean Tatars off their land, I'm speechless for the 1st time in this whole Honey Badger disaster


John Schindler‏@20committee2 mins
If Putin wants to cause ethnic uprisings all across the Russian Federation, messing with Crimean Tatars is a really fast & easy method.


Naharnet‏@Naharnet·22 secs
#Breaking Ukraine's president has given Crimea's leaders three hours to release the detained navy chief.


Paul Waldie ‏@pwaldieGLOBE9 mins
Bad sign: #Ukraine acting president gives Crimea leaders three hours to release navy chief


At 20:00 Prime Minister Donald Tusk will deliver an extraordinary message
On Wednesday, at 20:00, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will deliver on the vision of TVP 1 emergency message. Preview special of the prime minister posted on Twitter We do not know what specifically Tusk will speak, but you can expect, what will be the topic of the message. http://translate.google.ca/translate...czajne-oredzie




gandalf greybeard‏@gerrydogma2 mins
Acting President of Ukraine gives Russia until 9pm (local) to cease all provocations against Ukrainian troops & release all hostages 1/2


gandalf greybeard‏@gerrydogma16 secs
If the demand is not met, "the authorities will take appropriate measures...of a technical and technological nature" 2/2

"If to 21:00 will not cease all provocations against the Ukrainian troops , and Admiral Hayduk and all other hostages, both military and civilian , will not be released , the authorities will take appropriate measures . " " Including technical and technological nature ," - he explained.


5m
Shell ends talks with Ukraine and ExxonMobil on extracting natural gas in the Black Sea off the coast of restive Crimea - @AFP

Tom Hillþ@te3ej26 mins
@russiannavyblog Rus bomber network active again today in voice and morse during 13 GMT. 8090 KHz USB Voice and 8029 KHz Morse.

Wide-band web controlled HF set.

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

[vector7]

Michael Kelley ‏@MichaelKelleyBI · 2m
Moscow signals concern for Russians in Estonia

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/s...,3751698.story
Moscow signals concern for Russians in Estonia

John Schindler‏@20committee3 mins
Oh great...now Estonia / RT @EmptyCircle Playbook of rhetoric or of actions, too? http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/us-russia-estonia-idUSBREA2I1J620140319 … pic.twitter.com/1y2OXhZaqh




Andrew A. Michta @andrewmichta
#Latvia is arguably even more vulnerable than #Estonia.Putin am play this card at a time of his choosing @20committee hotair.com/archives/2014/…


Ace News Services‏@AceNewsServices·1m
` Lithuania's suspends broadcasting of `Russian TV ' Channel ' - ` Lithuania’s suspends broadcasting of... http://tmblr.co/Z4noLy1Abw2W1

RT @Galrahn: Turchynov does not want to be the unelected Ukrainian President who triggers a shooting war with Russia. His threats are hollow, at best.

RT ‏@ISNJH: @Galrahn in his statement he said Technical response but did not mention military exactly. So its likely Ukraine looking at power / Gas

RT @Galrahn: @ISNJH if Ukraine cuts off electricity or water in Crimea, watch this standoff go hot in a hurry. He can't be that stupid, can he?

Missilito‏@Missilito·33 mins
Russian Security Service FSB arrests Swedish & Ukrainian citizens near Belgorod. Accused of photo military objects http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20140319/1000227053.html …


Euromaidan PR‏@EuromaidanPR·26 mins
“#Russian troops storming the houses of #Ukrainian military’ families, threatening and demanding their immediate departure” -@ UNSC live |PR



Sky News Newsdesk ‏@SkyNewsBreak 55 s
Reuters: #Russia reportedly says it will respond in kind to U.S. sanctions and is considering "asymmetrical" reaction if U.S. escalates

zerohedge ‏@zerohedge · 27 min
U.S. PREPARED TO IMPOSE FURTHER COSTS ON RUSSIA, CARNEY SAYS.

KTVN Channel 2 News ‏@KTVN 1m
#BREAKING - (AP) -- Ukraine security chief: #Ukraine plans military exercise with United States and Britain.


jennifer bendery @jbendery
oh, good RT @Philip_Elliott: MOSCOW (AP) _ Interfax: Russian diplomat says Moscow considering changing stance in Iranian nuclear talks.


Al Arabiya English‏@AlArabiya_Eng11m
#BreakingNews: #NATO worried #Russia may move into eastern #Ukraine: #Rasmussen http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2014/03/19/Russia-s-action-gravest-threat-to-Europe-since-Cold-War-NATO.html …

#BreakingNews: #NATO worried #Russia may move into eastern #Ukraine:

5m
Senior US military officials say 'thousands' of Russian troops staged along the Ukrainian border have raised serious concerns at the Pentagon - @NBCNews

17m
Russian forces took control of another Ukrainian naval base in Crimea late on Wednesday, a Ukrainian naval officer says - @Reuters


Russian military starts aviation exercises in northwest



Drills would involve more than 40 Sukhoi and MiG warplanes and were being held in regions including Leningrad, which borders NATO-member Estonia and Finland, and Karelia, which shares a long border with Finland.

World Bulletin/News Desk
Russia's military started large-scale aviation exercises in the northwest on Wednesday, officials said, close to Baltic ex-Soviet republics that are members of NATO and wary of Russia after its annexation of Crimea.
The exercises involving jet fighters and bombers were being conducted in regions that do not border Ukraine. A senior Russian military source said they had been planned in December and had no political significance.
Interfax reported that the drills would involve more than 40 Sukhoi and MiG warplanes and were being held in regions including Leningrad, which borders NATO-member Estonia and Finland, and Karelia, which shares a long border with Finland.


U.N. Security Council Meeting on Ukraine

March 19, 2014
The U.N. Security Council held a meeting on the Russian intervention in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power participated in the discussion alongside her counterparts from Russia and Ukraine.






Luke Vargas ‏@thecourier 3m
And he's off! Russian Amb. Vitaly Churkin has left (with briefcase) the UN Security Council's #Ukraine meeting as Australia speaks—

Biden to NATO Allies: 'We Will Respond to Any Aggression'

The United States will respond to any Russian aggression against NATO allies, Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday as he visited Baltic countries worried about Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

“As long as Russia continues on this dark path, they will face increase political and economic isolation,” Biden told reporters in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.

“The president wanted me to come personally to make it clear what you already know that under Article 5 under the NATO treaty, we will respond. We will respond to any aggression against a NATO ally."http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukr...ression-n56521


------

Mike O'Brien‏@mpoindc15m
Obama to @nbcsandiego: "We are not going to be getting into a military excursion in Ukraine."

Mike O'Brien‏@mpoindc14m
Obama says Ukranians would acknowledge "for us to engage Russia militarily would not be appropriate and would not be good for Ukraine."

John Schindler ‏@20committee37m
That awkward moment when Putin goes #FullHoneyBadger and steals Crimea, so the Kremlin tells NATO to go f**** itself: http://20committee.com/2014/03/19/russia-to-nato-drop-dead/ …

Jake Tapper ‏@jaketapper54m
Hagel today told Ukraine Defense Minister he appreciated restraint of Ukrainian Armed Forces/expressed condolences for death of soldier

Foreign PolicyVerified account‏@ForeignPolicy2h
Senior U.S. officials tell @djrothkopf this isn't the beginning of a new Cold War -- or even a watershed moment. http://atfp.co/1d1mOZL


Mike Walker ‏@New_Narrative 1h
Obama says search for missing flight #MH370 a 'top priority'

http://bit.ly/1fIyY4w pic.twitter.com/fIaXajp52E
http://www.veooz.com/news/DG_UQuL.html

[American Patriot]

NOVOOZERNE: Russian forces seized control of a second Ukrainian navy base in western Crimea on Wednesday, AFP reporters saw, hours after capturing the main navy headquarters in Sevastopol.

Some 50 Ukrainian servicemen were seen filing out of the base at Novoozerne as Russian soldiers stood by, while pro-Moscow militants raised the Russian flag over the base.

[American Patriot]

Ukraine to pull troops from Crimea as Obama rules out military action

Published March 20, 2014FoxNews.com

• 
  
• 
  
  • 
    Next phase of Russia's 'takeover' of Crimea
    
    
  • 
    Crimean annexation raises concerns of possible new...
    
    
  • 
    Pro-Russian forces detain Ukrainian navy commander...
    
    
  
  

Ukraine prepared to pull its troops and their families from Crimea as President Obama ruled out use of the U.S. military in the West's dispute with Russia over its seizure of the peninsula.
National Security and Defense Council secretary Andriy Parubiy said that Ukraine will seek U.N. support to turn Crimea into a demilitarized zone as it prepared to relocate as many as 25,000 soldiers and their families to the Ukrainian mainland.
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and sailors are trapped on military bases, surrounded by heavily armed Russian forces and pro-Russia militia.
"We are working out a plan of action so that we can transfer not just servicemen, but first of all, members of their family who are in Crimea, quickly and effectively to mainland Ukraine," Parubiy said.
Humbled but defiant, Ukraine lashed out symbolically at Russia by declaring its intent to leave the Moscow-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States, a loose alliance of 11 former Soviet nations. The last nation to leave the group was Georgia, which fought a brief war with neighboring Russia in 2008 and ended up losing two separatist territories.
Ukraine has been powerless to prevent Russian troops from taking control of Crimea, which President Vladimir Putin formally annexed by treaty Tuesday. Crimea's absorption came after a hastily organized referendum in which the population voted in favor of seceding from Ukraine and joining Russia.
President Obama, who has threatened Moscow with additional sanctions, said Wednesday that nobody wants to "trigger an actual war with Russia" because that would serve no one's interests.
"We are not going to be getting into a military excursion in Ukraine," Obama told KNSD-TV. "What we are going to do is mobilize all of our diplomatic resources to make sure that we've got a strong international coalition that sends a clear message."
Russia, which has shown no signs of flinching in the dispute, expects the legal process required to make Crimea part of Russia to be completed this week, according to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Reuters reported Thursday.
"Practical steps are being taken to implement the agreements on the entry of Crimea and (the Crimean port city of) Sevastopol into Russia," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as saying. "The legal process will be completed this week."
Russia's Constitutional Court chairman, Valery Zorkin, said Wednesday the treaty signed by Putin has been ruled valid, meaning it now only requires ratification by the Russian parliament.
In an address to the German Parliament in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU was readying further sanctions and that the G-8 forum of leading economies had been suspended indefinitely. Russia holds the presidency of the G-8 and Putin was due to host his counterparts, including Obama, at a summit in Sochi in June.
"So long as there aren't the political circumstances, like now, for an important format like the G-8, then there is no G-8," Merkel said. "Neither the summit, nor the format."
Earlier this week, the EU and the U.S. slapped sanctions on certain individuals that were involved in what they say was the unlawful referendum in Crimea over joining Russia.
Merkel said EU leaders would increase those "level 2" sanctions against Russia when they meet later Thursday in Brussels to widen the list of those whose assets are being frozen and who are banned from traveling.
She also reiterated that if things worsen, the EU is prepared to move to "level 3" measures, which would include economic sanctions.
"The European Council will make it clear today and tomorrow that with a further deterioration of the situation we are always prepared to take level 3 measures, and those will without a doubt include economic sanctions," she said.
Merkel's tough approach came as the commander of Ukraine's navy was freed after being held by Russian forces and local Crimean militia at the navy's headquarters.
Rear Adm. Sergei Haiduk and an unspecified number of civilians were held for hours after the navy's base in Sevastopol was stormed Wednesday. Early reports said the storming was conducted by a self-described local defense force, but Thursday's statement by acting President Oleksandr Turchynov, which confirmed the release, said Russian forces were involved.
Attempting to face down the unblinking incursion, Ukraine on Wednesday said it would hold joint military exercises with the United States and Britain, signatories, along with Russia, of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum -- a document designed to guarantee Ukraine's territorial integrity when it surrendered its share of Soviet nuclear arsenals to Russia after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is visiting Moscow on Thursday and is to come to Ukraine on Friday.

[American Patriot]

Everyone is saying "we will place sanctions on you!" and Russia is laughing in their faces.

Amazing.

Putin says "rule by gun" (perhaps that's a misquote, but close enough) and the rest of the world has said "Guns are bad!"

Seriously... the world is run by complete idiots.

[American Patriot]

20 March 2014 Last updated at 08:52 ET

Crimea crisis: Merkel warns Russia faces escalating sanctions

Ukraine has said it will redeploy its servicemen to the mainland for their own safety - this air force commander was leaving the Belbek base in Sevastopol Continue reading the main story Ukraine crisis

• Putin's speech analysed
• Sanctions explained
• Analysis: This won't stop here
• Waking in a different Crimea

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Russia will face escalating EU sanctions if it does not take steps to ease the crisis over Crimea.


Mrs Merkel, speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, said the current political situation also meant the G8 effectively no longer existed.


Tensions remain high in Crimea after its leaders signed a deal with Moscow to split from Ukraine and join Russia.


Pro-Russian forces took over at least two military bases there on Wednesday.


Ukraine's navy commander, Serhiy Hayduk, was detained, but has now been released.





Over dinner Europe's leaders will discuss their next moves. A few more Russian names may be added to the sanctions hat. That is the easy part. The names are already drawn up.


The question is whether, this time, they will go after people closer to President Putin. That is less certain.

• Read more from Gavin
• Can EU reach consensus on Russia?

Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow on Tuesday to absorb the peninsula - an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine - into Russia, following a referendum which the West and Kiev say was illegal.


Russia's lower house - the Duma - will vote on ratifying the Crimea treaty on Thursday, and the upper house on Friday. The measure is expected to sail through.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the treaty "will be a turning point in the fate of the multi-ethnic peoples of Crimea and Russia, who are linked by the close ties of historical solidarity".


He reiterated Moscow's position that the annexation is necessary to protect ethnic Russians from "nationalists, anti-Semites and other extremists on whom the new [Ukrainian] authorities depend".


In a resolution on Thursday, Ukraine's parliament said the country would "never and under no circumstances end the fight to free Crimea of occupants, no matter how difficult and long it is".
'Political consequences' Western leaders have denounced Russia's actions in Crimea as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law.
Angela Merkel said the political context was no longer right for Russia to be part of the G8
Pro-Russian troops have surrounded military bases, including here at Perevalnoye outside Simferopol
Ukraine's battleship Slavutich remains blocked in by Russian ships in the harbour at Sevastopol
Continue reading the main story Crisis timeline

• 21 Nov 2013: President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal
• Dec: Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square
• 20-21 Feb 2014: At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes
• 22 Feb: Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election
• 27-28 Feb: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea. Parliament, under siege, appoints pro-Moscow Sergei Aksyonov a PM
• 6 Mar: Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia
• 16 Mar: Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum
• 17 Mar: Crimean parliament declares independence and formally applies to join Russia
• 18 Mar: Russian and Crimean leaders sign deal in Moscow to join the region to Russia

• Ukraine crisis timeline
• Waking up in a different Crimea

The EU has already imposed sanctions on 21 people connected to Moscow's intervention in Crimea, and is expected to discuss expanding the sanctions when it meets on Thursday to include political and military figures close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking in Berlin, Mrs Merkel said the EU would "make clear that we are ready at any time" to increase sanctions against Russia "if there is a worsening of the situation".
The EU would also, she said, "draw consequences for political relations between the EU and Russia, as well as for relations between the G7 and Russia".
The G8 - comprising seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia - is scheduled to hold a summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi in June.
But Mrs Merkel said it was "obvious, as long as the political context for such an important format like the G8 does not apply, as is the case at the moment, the G8 doesn't exist anymore, neither does the summit nor the format as such".
The BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels say some believe the first stage of a seismic shift in EU-Russian relations is taking place.
But this will take years, not days, to come about, he adds, and if the leaders are serious they will need to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian gas.
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What does the future look like for Crimea's economy? Tanya Beckett reports

The US has also ordered a freeze of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, and has said it is considering expanding these.
Continue reading the main story Crimean dispute

Russia's argument:

• Crimea has always been part of Russia and was unfairly given to Ukraine in 1954
• Russia has a duty to protect ethnic Russians wherever they are
• Crimeans voted overwhelmingly in a legally sound referendum to join Russia

West's argument:

• Ukraine's pro-Moscow government was legitimately ousted by the uprising
• The referendum was carried out by a Moscow-installed leadership and under military occupation
• Russia is breaking international law and threatening regional stability

• The Crimea of Russia's imagination
• Is Crimea's referendum legal?
• Analysis: This won't stop with Crimea

In other developments:

• UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will meet President Putin in Moscow on Thursday before travelling to Kiev on Friday
• Russia has reportedly taken control of a confectionery factory in Lipetsk, Russia, owed by Ukrainian tycoon Petro Poroshenko. He was a key supporter of the protests against President Viktor Yanukovych
• President Barack Obama ruled out military involvement in Ukraine, saying the US "do not need to trigger an actual war"
• Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Yurii Klymenko, told diplomats in Geneva there are "indications that Russia is on its way to unleash a full blown military intervention in Ukraine's east and south". Russia dismissed the warning
• Crimea's PM says a 17-year-old Ukrainian has been arrested over an incident in Simferopol on Tuesday in which a Ukrainian soldier and a member of the pro-Russia self-defence force were killed

Redeployment The crisis comes nearly a month after Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities.
Pro-Russian troops took control of Crimea in late February.
At least two bases - in Sevastopol and Novo-Ozyorne - were taken over by pro-Russian forces on Wednesday.
Ukraine has said it is drawing up plans to withdraw its thousands of soldiers and their families from Crimea for their own safety, and redeploy them on the mainland.
A number have already accepted Russia's offer to change sides, but many are still in their bases refusing to surrender.

[American Patriot]

What history can tell us about Russia, Crimea and Vladimir Putin

• By Adam Taylor
  
  
• March 18 at 4:25 pm
  
  

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses a joint session of Russian parliament on Crimea in Moscow on March 18, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement that formally recognized the "reunification" of breakaway Ukrainian region of Crimea with Russia.
"To understand the reason behind such a choice," Putin said in a speech to parliament, "It is enough to know the history of Crimea and what Russia and Crimea have always meant for each other."
History. That was the central point of Putin's speech. And he wasn't just creating history by agreeing to accept Crimea – he was correcting history. Correcting the historical mistake from 1954 that saw Crimea end up as part of Ukraine.
Putin didn't stop there. He lashed out at the West about events such as the downfall of the Soviet Union, Kosovo, NATO expansion, Libya, Iraq and Syria. He argued that the Western historical narrative of these things was twisted; that U.S.-led military actions in places such as Kosovo and Libya had been illegitimate, and that America's reaction to Crimea's referendum was, at best, naive and hypocritical.
Few Western observers failed to note the historical rhetoric that formed the core of Putin's argument. Fareed Zakeria called it "the most significant geopolitical problem since the Cold War," while Brookings scholar Steven Pifer argued that it was the "most blatant land grab in Europe since WWII."
Putin believes he has learned history’s lessons. But has he?
World War II

One of the most common references in the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, Crimea and Russia has been that of World War II and Nazi Germany. In his speech today, Putin invoked his favored tactic for criticizing the Kiev government, calling them "fascists, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites."


It's true that the Euromaidan protests had an element of far-right nationalism to them, but the situation in Crimea, and Putin's justification for it, have also reminded others of Nazi Germany's actions before World War II – Hillary Clinton even went so far as to directly compare Russia's pledge of support for ethnic Russians based abroad to that made by Adolf Hitler for ethnic Germans as part of Nazi Germany's plans for "anschluss" and unification of all Germans under an "all-German Reich." Notably, when Austria was annexed by Germany, it held a referendum.
Fall of the Soviet Union

The fall of the Soviet Union has always been a bugbear for Putin: not so much because he loved Communism but because it seemed to mark the end of Russia's time as a great power at the center of an empire. Back in 2005, he even called it a "genuine tragedy."
In today's speech, the Russian president returned to his anger over the end of the Soviet era, and in particular, how the situation in Crimea was handled. "Millions of people went to bed in one country and awoke in different ones," he said, "overnight becoming ethnic minorities in former Union republics, while the Russian nation became one of the biggest, if not the biggest ethnic group in the world to be divided by borders."
The situation was especially significant in Crimea, he said, which became part of Ukraine in 1954 after a "personal initiative" from Communist Party head Nikita Khrushchev. "It was only when Crimea ended up as part of a different country that Russia realized that it was not simply robbed, it was plundered," he explained.
Putin's theory on Crimea's place in Russian history makes some sense: The peninsula had been part of Russia from 1783 to 1954, and even under Ukrainian rule housed Russia's Black Sea Fleet. It's not always a pretty history, though. For example, the entire Crimean Tatar population was deported from Crimea during World War II, and a huge number are believed to have died. Putin touched on this in his speech, admitting that the Crimean Tatars were "treated unfairly" but adding that "millions of people of various ethnicities suffered during those repressions, and primarily Russians."
Putin also neglects to mention that Crimea's decision to remain part of Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union was decided by a referendum on independence in December 1991. That election found that 54 percent of Crimean voters favored independence from Russia – a majority, though the lowest one found in Ukraine.
Cyprus

Northern Cyprus is one interesting example that Putin actually neglected to mention. In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and established control over the northeastern portion of the island, and in 1983, the Turkish north of the island declared independence from the Greek south, calling itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus." The U.N., however, did not recognize it, and to this day only Turkey does.
Crimea and Cyprus are remarkably similar situations, David Klion at the New Republic argues:

Turkey’s pretext for invading Cyprus was a coup, which is the term Putin uses to describe the overthrow of Ukraine’s corrupt but democratically elected president, Viktor Yanukovych. In this case, the coup was sponsored by Greece’s military junta with the aim of uniting Cyprus with Greece. This aim was unpopular among ethnic Turks, many of whom welcomed the Turkish invasion. Turkey faced near-universal condemnation for its actions, and has weathered regular U.N. resolutions criticizing the occupation ever since. While Cyprus never ended up joining Greece, both countries eventually found a home in the E.U., where membership has continually eluded Turkey.

Putin may have wished to avoid the comparison to Cyprus, it seems, as the end results were so unfavorable: a lack of recognition for Northern Cyprus, the rest of Cyprus moving toward Europe, and the diplomatic isolation of Turkey.
The reunification of Germany

Two of the most important events in post-WWII history were the division of Germany among Allied powers after the war, and the subsequent reunification of Germany after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
"I believe that Europeans, firstly Germans, will understand me," Putin said during his speech today, pointing out that "not all countries who were Germany's allies supported the very idea of unification" at the time. "Our country, on the contrary, supported explicitly and sincerely the aspiration of Germans for national unity," he said. "I am certain that you have not forgotten this and I count that German citizens will support the aspiration of the Russian world and historical Russia to restore unity."
It's true that Russia did play a significant role in reunification negotiations after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, with Mikhail Gorbachev a key supporter of a tactic that allowed the two Germany's to negotiate on their own, without the outside powers coming in until later. Regardless, it doesn't seem as though Germany feels much gratitude here. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a frequent critic of Russia's stance on Crimea over the past few weeks.
Czechoslovakia

The breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the so-called "Velvet Divorce" after the "Velvet Revolution" that ended communism in the state in 1989, was another big change in Europe's borders, with Czechoslovakia splitting between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. While it was a relatively controversial move at the time – the New York Times noted "wide regret" at the end of a nation formed after World War I – nowadays the split is viewed as a (relative) success.
Putin didn't mention Czechoslovakia today (perhaps the non-contentious divide of a country doesn't speak to the current situation in Crimea), but those who used to live in Czechoslovakia have commented on Crimea: Czech President Milos Zeman has said Crimea's referendum violates Ukraine's constitution, while the Czech foreign minister has said it reminds him of Soviet action during the 1968 Prague Spring.
Yugoslavia

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia fell into a number of wars that eventually led the country to split into the states of Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia.
Of particular note was the Bosnian War, which began in 1992 after a successful referendum on independence in the multi-ethnic region, despite a significant Serbian minority boycott and their attempts to establish their own state. After Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, Bosnian Serbs, with the support of Slobodan Milošević's Yugoslav government, began a strategy of ethnic cleansing of Muslim Bosnians and Croatians in the eastern part of Bosnia. After the massacre at Srebrenica in 1995 (during which an estimated 8,000 unarmed Muslim men and women were killed in a U.N. safe area), NATO intervened with a sustained air campaign called "Operation Deliberate Force" that saw Bosnian Serb forces attacked. Within months, a peace agreement was reached.
The breakup of Yugoslavia, and especially the Bosnian war, has an interesting legacy for Russian in light of of the current situation in Crimea. At the time, Russia contributed forces to help with the NATO-led peacekeeping efforts, but later events, including Kosovo and the allegations that Russia was helping to hide Bosnian Serbs involved in atrocities, made it clear that Russia wasn't happy with how things went.
Kosovo

In a key part of his speech today, Putin contrasted the situation in Crimea with that of Kosovo, a Albanian-majority region of Serbia that eventually became recognized as independent in 2008. Here's what Putin said, in full, according to the Kremlin's transcript:

Moreover, the Crimean authorities referred to the well-known Kosovo precedent – a precedent our Western colleagues created with their own hands in a very similar situation, when they agreed that the unilateral separation of Kosovo from Serbia, exactly what Crimea is doing now, was legitimate and did not require any permission from the country’s central authorities. Pursuant to Article 2, Chapter 1 of the United Nations Charter, the U.N. International Court agreed with this approach and made the following comment in its ruling of July 22, 2010, and I quote: “No general prohibition may be inferred from the practice of the Security Council with regard to declarations of independence,” and “General international law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence.” Crystal clear, as they say.

Putin is right that in some ways Crimea, with its Russian majority, does look a little like Kosovo with its Albanian majority. There was use of force by outside forces in both cases. Both held referendums on independence.
But what's more significant than the similarities between Crimea and Kosovo are their differences. In a post over at the Guardian, Daniel Drezner points out that NATO only intervened in Kosovo in 1999 after there was significant evidence collected from Kosovo of Serbian abuses. Notably, while NATO military action wasn't sanctioned by the U.N., it did take place after United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199, on which Russia had voted. Plus, NATO only bombed after its requests for an international peacekeeping force were rebuffed.
Perhaps more importantly, while Kosovo was a de facto independent state after NATO's intervention, it didn't formally announce independence until 2008 (Kosovan Albanians had previously tried to in the early 1990s but it was only recognized by Albania). That's almost 10 years between conflict and independence, rather than the mere weeks we've seen in Crimea. Even then, a significant number of states and organizations, including Russia, China and even the United Nations, have not recognized Kosovo as a sovereign state.
Putin does have an argument: The American justification that Kosovo was a "special case" seems exceptionally broad. But it's certainly not a "crystal-clear" situation.
The future: Scotland and Catalonia

Scotland (now a part of the United Kingdom) and Catalonia (now a part of Spain) could well be independent sovereign states: Both are due to have referendums on independence later this year. While Putin didn't mention either today, Russia has used both to justify the Crimean referendum in the past. For example, Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko recently said, "No one says the Scotland referendum is illegal."
There are a whole range of reasons that Scotland and Catalonia are not much like the situation in Crimea. At its most basic, the referendums in Scotland and Catalonia are not taking place in an atmosphere of violence, the U.K. has agreed to recognize the Scottish results (though Spain will not not recognize Catalonia's), and the campaign period was longer than two weeks.
Ultimately, Putin's appeal to history makes sense in two strands of his political thought: the memories of a Russian empire that drive his plans for a Eurasian Union and his argument that the West's international dominance is decadent and undeserved.
Where he trips up, however, is in his belief that history can act for a justification in Crimea. History is often complicated and incoherent: Europe’s ever changing borders don’t necessarily justify yet another change.
UPDATE: This post originally stated that Spain would recognize the results of the Catalonian referendum. It has been amended to reflect the fact that Spain has in fact said it will not.

[American Patriot]

Obozo just went on TV to say he signed a new EO against Russia... specific sectors of the Russian economy.

He really didn't say much.

He didn't do much.

Too little, too late. He has condoned what Putin has done.

Eastern Europe is next.

[American Patriot]

Pro-Russian crowds seize 2 Ukrainian warships

By DAVID RISING and JIM HEINTZ

The Associated PressMarch 20, 2014 Updated 7 minutes ago

Germany EU Ukraine

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a meeting of the German parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Thursday, March 20, 2014. Russia faces further sanctions from the European Union on Thursday over its annexation of the Crimea Peninsula as tensions in the region remained high despite the release of a Ukrainian naval commander. In an address to the German Parliament, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU was readying further sanctions and that the G-8 forum of leading economies had been suspended indefinitely. Russia holds the presidency of the G-8 and President Vladimir Putin was due to host his counterparts, including President Barack Obama, at a summit in Sochi in June. MICHAEL SOHN — AP Photo


KIEV, Ukraine — Pro-Russian crowds seized two Ukrainian warships Thursday and Ukraine said its troops were being threatened in Crimea as the European Union considered new sanctions against Russia for its annexation of the Black Sea peninsula.

Tensions in the region remained high despite the release of a Ukrainian naval commander held by pro-Russian forces.

Shots were fired but there were no casualties as the Ukrainian corvette Khmelnitsky was seized in Sevastopol, according to an AP photographer at the scene. Another ship, the Lutsk, was also surrounded by pro-Russian forces.

The Defense Ministry had no immediate information on the incidents.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Leonid Polyakov accused Russian troops of constantly threatening to storm military bases where Ukrainian soldiers were located, according to the Interfax news agency.

In Geneva, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations warned of a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighbors, saying that Russia appears to be preparing for a military "invasion" in more areas of his country.

Ambassador Yuri Klymenko said there were "indications that Russia is on its way to unleash a full-blown military invention in Ukraine's east and south" since its annexation of Crimea. He said his statement was based on information from non-governmental organizations.

In an address to the German Parliament in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU was readying further sanctions and that the G-8 forum of leading economies had been suspended indefinitely. Russia holds the presidency of the G-8 and President Vladimir Putin was due to host his counterparts, including President Barack Obama, at a G-8 summit in Sochi in June.

"So long as there aren't the political circumstances, like now, for an important format like the G-8, then there is no G-8," Merkel said. "Neither the summit, nor the format."

The EU and the United States have slapped sanctions on individuals involved in what they say was Crimea's unlawful referendum over joining Russia. Moscow formally annexed Crimea earlier this week in the wake of the poll. The Black Sea peninsula had been part of Russia for centuries until 1954 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred it to Ukraine, and many residents were happy about rejoining Russia.

Russian forces effectively took control of Crimea some two weeks ago in the wake of the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych, after months of protests and sporadic violence. The crisis erupted late last year after Yanukovych backed out of an association deal with the EU in favor of a promised $15 billion bailout from Russia. That angered Ukrainians from the country's pro-European central and western regions.

Merkel said EU leaders would increase those "level 2" sanctions against Russia when they meet later Thursday in Brussels to widen the list of those whose assets are being frozen and who are banned from traveling.

She also reiterated that if things worsen, the EU is prepared to move to "level 3" measures, which would include economic sanctions.

"The European Council will make it clear today and tomorrow that with a further deterioration of the situation we are always prepared to take level 3 measures, and those will without a doubt include economic sanctions," she said.

Merkel's tough approach came as the commander of Ukraine's navy was freed after being held by Russian forces and local Crimean militia at the navy's headquarters in Crimea.

Rear Adm. Sergei Haiduk and an unspecified number of civilians were held for hours after the navy's headquarters in Sevastopol was stormed Wednesday. Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov, who confirmed the release, said Russian forces were involved in the storming.

In response, Ukraine on Wednesday said it would hold joint military exercises with the United States and Britain, signatories, along with Russia, of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum — a document designed to guarantee Ukraine's territorial integrity when it surrendered its share of Soviet nuclear arsenals to Russia after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.

With thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and sailors trapped on military bases, surrounded by heavily armed Russian forces and pro-Russia militia, the Kiev government said it was drawing up plans to evacuate its outnumbered troops from Crimea back to the mainland and would seek U.N. support to turn the peninsula into a demilitarized zone.

Just how many retreating troops Ukraine will have to absorb in what amounts to a military surrender of Crimea was unclear. Many servicemen have already switched sides to Russia, but authorities said they were prepared to relocate as many as 25,000 soldiers and their families to the Ukrainian mainland.

At Belbek airbase in the wine-growing country near Crimea's southwestern coast, airmen were leaving Thursday toting plastic shopping or garbage bags filled with their belongings.

They weren't evacuating, they said, just transferring their things to a safe place. They were worried that pro-Russian mobs might loot the facility, as they heard happened the day before in nearby Sevastopol.

Since Russian forces took charge in Crimea, Ukrainian-enlisted personnel and officers have been bottled up in barracks and other buildings at one end of the Belbek base, with the Russians in control of the airfield.

"We're waiting for what Kiev, our leadership, tells us," said one major, who declined to give his name. The major said he expected about half of the personnel still at the base to accept the Russian offer to stay and join the Russian armed forces, since they were Crimea natives.

Humbled but defiant, Ukraine lashed out symbolically at Russia by declaring its intent to leave the Moscow-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States, a loose alliance of 11 former Soviet nations. The last nation to leave the group was Georgia, which fought a brief war with neighboring Russia in 2008 and ended up losing two separatist territories.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was visiting Moscow on Thursday and was to come to Ukraine on Friday.

"We are working out a plan of action so that we can transfer not just servicemen, but first of all, members of their family who are in Crimea, quickly and effectively to mainland Ukraine," said Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/20/...#storylink=cpy