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Ukraine’s interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk met President Barack Obama at the White House.
During their meeting, Barack Obama pledged to “stand with Ukraine” in its dispute with Russia.
The US president warned Russian President Vladimir Putin the international community “will be forced to apply costs” if Russia does not remove its troops from Crimea.
Earlier, leaders of the G7 group of nations issued a similar threat.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, speaking after meeting Barack Obama, said Ukraine “will never surrender” to Russia.
“It is absolutely unacceptable to have Russian boots on the Ukrainian ground in the 21st century, violating all international deals and treaties,” he said.
The diplomatic appeals to Moscow come ahead of Sunday’s referendum in Crimea, in which citizens will be asked if they want to stay with Ukraine or join Russia.
Ukraine’s interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk met President Barack Obama at the White House
The Russian military and pro-Russian armed men moved in to seize key sites in Crimea – an autonomous region of Ukraine whose population is mainly ethnic Russian – in late February after the fall of President Viktor Yanukovych.
Barack Obama said the US has “been very clear that we consider Russia’s incursion into Crimea outside of its bases to be a violation of international law”.
“We have been very firm in saying we will stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in ensuring that territorial integrity and sovereignty is maintained,” he added.
In reference to scheduled talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in London on Friday, Barack Obama said he hoped diplomatic efforts will result in a “rethinking of the process”.
But he stressed that if Moscow “continues on the path that it is on then, not only us, but the international community… will be forced to apply a cost to Russia’s violations of international law and its encroachments on Ukraine”.
The president did not specify what those costs would be, but Washington has already issued visa bans to some high-profile Russians and threatened asset freezes for others.
Barack Obama also said the US “will completely reject” the results of Crimea’s referendum, saying it had been put together in a “slapdash” way.
As Barack Obama and Arseniy Yatsenyuk were holding talks, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to authorize $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine’s new government and allow the US to impose sanctions on Russian and Ukrainian officials.
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The G7 leaders have called on Russia to stop all efforts to “annex” Ukraine’s Crimea region.
G7 said if Russia took such a step they would “take further action, individually and collectively”.
They also said they would not recognize the results of a referendum in Crimea this weekend on whether to split from Ukraine and join Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s national security chief has warned of a major Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders.
Andriy Parubiy said Moscow had not withdrawn its troops after carrying out military exercises near Ukraine’s eastern and southern frontiers last month.
The Group of Seven industrial nations – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US – along with the EU urged Russia to “cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea”.
G7 said Crimea’s referendum has no legal effect as it is in direct violation of Ukraine’s constitution
“In addition to its impact on the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states,” they said in a statement released by the White House.
They said Sunday’s referendum, asking the people of Crimea if they want to be a part of Russia or Ukraine, has “no legal effect” as it is in “direct violation” of Ukraine’s constitution.
“Given the lack of adequate preparation and the intimidating presence of Russian troops, it would also be a deeply flawed process which would have no moral force.”
The leaders repeated their calls for Russia to de-escalate the crisis by withdrawing its troops, talking directly with Kiev and using international mediators to “address any legitimate concerns it may have”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry says he has been asked by President Barack Obama to travel to London for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.
“Our job is to present them with a series of options that are appropriate in order to try to respect the people of Ukraine, international law and the interests of all concerned,” John Kerry told the House Appropriations Committee on Foreign Operations.
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Russian government is refusing all negotiations with Ukraine, Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has said.
Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP news agency that Ukraine would not intervene militarily in Crimea, even though a secession referendum there was a “sham”.
Meanwhile interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk is travelling to the US to meet President Barack Obama.
On Thursday Arseniy Yatsenyuk is due to address the UN Security Council in New York.
“We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border [close to Russia] and Ukraine would not be protected,” Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP.
Ukraine would not intervene militarily in Crimea, even though a secession referendum there was a sham
He said that Sunday’s referendum in Crimea – in which people on the peninsula will decide whether or not to become part of Russia – was “a provocation” that would be boycotted by most people.
“The Russian forces don’t intend to hold a referendum, they’re just going to falsify the results,” he said.
Oleksandr Turchynov said that at the same time the Russian government was refusing to enter into any dialogue with Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, for now Russia is rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” he told AFP.
Oleksandr Turchynov earlier on Tuesday called for the creation of a national guard and provide support to troops.
He said that the force would include volunteers with military experience who would be on guard against external and internal aggression.
Oleksandr Turchynov was speaking as Moscow announced more military exercises involving 4,000 paratroopers – apparently the biggest such exercise in 20 years.
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Secretary of State John Kerry has declined an offer of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin until Moscow engages with US proposals to tackle the crisis in Ukraine.
John Kerry told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Moscow’s military intervention in Crimea had made any negotiations extremely difficult.
US officials say there will be little to talk about if the referendum on Crimea’s future goes ahead.
John Kerry has declined an offer of talks with Vladimir Putin until Moscow engages with US proposals to tackle the crisis in Ukraine (photo AP)
The referendum is to be held on Sunday.
Ukraine and the Western countries say that the vote is illegal.
Russia said on Monday it was drafting counter-proposals to a US plan for a negotiated solution to the crisis.
Moscow has condemned Ukraine’s new Western-backed government as an unacceptable “fait accompli” – it says that Russian-leaning parts of the country have been turned into havens of lawlessness.
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NATO has decided to deploy reconnaissance planes in Poland and Romania to monitor the Ukrainian crisis.
It gave the go-ahead for the flights on Monday, a Nato spokesman said.
“All AWACS [Airborne Warning and Control System] reconnaissance flights will take place solely over alliance territory,” the official said.
The NATO move comes as Russia cements its control of Ukraine’s Crimea ahead of Sunday’s referendum to join Russia. Ukraine and the West say this is illegal.
In the latest move on Monday, armed men – said to be Russian troops and local militias – seized a military hospital in Crimea.
NATO will deploy reconnaissance planes in Poland and Romania to monitor the Ukrainian crisis
The attackers marched into the hospital in the regional capital Simferopol, threatening staff and some 30 patients.
Pro-Russian troops are also blockading Ukrainian troops across Crimea, which is an autonomous region.
Moscow has officially denied that its troops are taking part in the blockades, describing the armed men with no insignia as Crimea’s “self-defense” forces.
The new government in Kiev – as well as the US and EU – accuse Russia of invading Ukraine, in violation of international law.
NATO said the surveillance flights would “enhance the alliance’s situational awareness”.
Last week, the organization said it was reviewing all co-operation with Russia and stepping up its engagement with the government in Kiev.
NATO’s announcement on Monday came hours after men in military uniforms broke into the Simferopol hospital, where Ukrainian soldiers and veterans were being treated.
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Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have held rival pro-unity and pro-Russian rallies, as Moscow continues to strengthen its grip on Crimea.
Pro-Russia supporters beat up their opponents in Sevastopol, Crimea.
In the eastern city of Luhansk, pro-Russian activists seized regional offices forcing the governor to resign.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK’s PM David Cameron telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him to pull back from Crimea. The region is to vote to secede on March 16.
Addressing a huge crowd in Kiev to mark the 200th birth anniversary of national poet Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk pledged not to give a “single centimetre” of Ukrainian land to the Kremlin.
Ukraine’s defence minister has said Kiev has no plans to send the army to Crimea.
In the eastern city of Donetsk, pro-Russian protesters take down a Ukrainian flag near the regional government building, replacing it with a Russian flag.
Pro-Russian rally in Simferopol, Crimea
In Kharkiv, also in the east, some 10,000 people reportedly march to support Ukraine’s unity, chanting “No to war!” and “Ukraine, Kharkiv, Crimea!”.
Russia’s ex-tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who spent a decade behind bars, accuses Moscow of being complicit with Ukraine’s ousted government in using deadly violence against protesters
In Yevpatoriya, western Crimea, pro-Russian forces threaten to storm the command point of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile unit if the personnel there do not surrender their weapons.
In Sevastopol, the violence erupted when pro-Russian groups attacked dozens of people guarding a rally to commemorate Taras Shevchenko.
The crowd threw missiles at a car as the activists tried to flee the scene, smashing windows.
Some of the attackers were Russian Cossacks with whips.
The rally was attended by about 200 people.
A rival pro-Russian demonstration was also staged in the city – the base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Russia that any moves to annex Crimea would close the door to diplomacy.
John Kerry told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Crimea is part of Ukraine and Moscow should avoid military escalation.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has been discussing the deepening crisis with world leaders.
It comes as warning shots were fired as a team of international observers was turned back from entering Crimea.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said that no-one was hurt in the incident at Armyansk.
John Kerry told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Crimea is part of Ukraine and Moscow should avoid military escalation (photo Reuters)
It was the third time the OSCE has been prevented from entering Crimea, now in the control of pro-Russian forces.
Moscow has been tightening its military grip on the Crimean peninsula, and the pro-Russian authorities there have called a March 16 referendum to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.
The exchange between John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov came in a telephone conversation on Saturday, a US State Department official said.
“He [John Kerry] made clear that continued military escalation and provocation in Crimea or elsewhere in Ukraine, along with steps to annex Crimea to Russia would close any available space for diplomacy, and he urged utmost restraint,” the official said.
President Vladimir Putin has insisted he has the right to protect Russian interests and the rights of ethnic Russians in Crimea.
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Ukraine crisis was “created artificially for purely geopolitical reasons”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
Sergei Lavrov confirmed Russia had contacts with Ukraine’s interim government but said Kiev was beholden to the radical right.
Russia, he said, was open to further dialogue with the West if it was “honest and partner-like”.
Ukraine’s interim Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya said he saw hopeful signs Russia might engage in talks.
Sergei Lavrov confirmed Russia had contacts with Ukraine’s interim government but said Kiev was beholden to the radical right
“We have not sat and talked with Russians but we managed to send our message through intermediaries,” he said in Kiev.
“Russia’s position is not categorical, they are accepting this proposal and are considering it, so, there is some hope.”
He said it was too early to give more details of the proposal.
Ukraine’s Crimea region remains tense ahead of a self-declared referendum to be held on March 16 on whether to join the Russian Federation.
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Russia has warned the US not to take “hasty and reckless steps” in response to the crisis in Ukraine’s Crimea region.
In a phone call with Secretary of State John Kerry, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said imposing sanctions on Moscow would harm the US.
Pro-Russian troops have been in control of Crimea for the last week.
Earlier, a stand-off involving pro-Russian soldiers at a Ukrainian military base outside Sevastopol reportedly ended without incident.
Crimea’s parliament announced on Thursday it would hold a referendum on March 16 on whether to join Russia or remain part of Ukraine.
In a phone call with John Kerry, Sergei Lavrov said imposing sanctions on Moscow would harm the US (photo Reuters)
Russia’s parliament has promised to support Crimea if it chooses to become part of Russia.
The vote has been denounced as “illegitimate” by the interim government in Kiev, which took power after President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia last month in the wake of mass protests against his government and deadly clashes with security forces.
In their telephone conversation on Friday, Sergei Lavrov warned John Kerry against taking “hasty and unthought-through steps capable of causing harm to Russian-US relations”, Russia’s foreign ministry reports.
Sergei Lavrov said imposing sanctions on Russia in response to its involvement in Ukraine “will inevitably have a boomerang effect against the US itself”.
The US State Department said John Kerry had “underscored the importance of finding a constructive way to resolve the situation diplomatically, which would address the interests of the people of Ukraine, Russia and the international community”.
“Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov agreed to continue to consult in the days ahead on the way forward,” said the US statement.
The Pentagon estimates that 20,000 Russian troops may now be in Crimea, while the Ukrainian border guards’ commander puts the figure at 30,000.
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According to new reports, pro-Russian soldiers have stormed a Ukrainian military base outside the Crimean city of Sevastopol, before withdrawing soon afterwards.
Two trucks from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet outside the gates, surrounded by armed men.
No shots are believed to have been fired, and the assailants and trucks reportedly left after “negotiations”.
Troops wearing Russian uniform without insignia have blockaded bases since taking control of Crimea last week.
Some military installations and other buildings in the peninsula have been taken over, but both sides have so far held their fire.
On Friday evening, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported that about 100 Ukrainian personnel were stationed at missile defense base A2355.
Troops wearing Russian uniform without insignia have blockaded military bases since taking control of Crimea last week
Citing a duty officer and Ukraine’s defense ministry, the agency said a truck had rammed open the gates of the facility and about 20 “attackers” had entered, throwing stun grenades.
The Ukrainian troops immediately barricaded themselves inside a building and their commander began negotiations before any shots were fired, it added.
There were two military trucks with Russian number plates outside the gates, surrounded by irregular soldiers and a very hostile crowd of pro-Russian demonstrators.
Two journalists who attempted to take photographs were beaten badly.
Later, a Ukrainian officer told a Daily Telegraph journalist that the stand-off had ended after the “talks”, and that the Russian trucks and about 30 to 60 Russians troops had withdrawn.
The incident comes hours after Russian parliamentarians gave a standing ovation to a delegation of pro-Moscow politicians from Crimea, promising support if they wanted to become part of Russia.
The region is due to hold a referendum on March 16, on whether to join Russia or remain part of Ukraine. The vote has been denounced by the interim government in Kiev as illegitimate.
Meanwhile, Russia’s state-owned energy company, Gazprom, warned Ukraine that its gas supply might be cut off unless its $1.89 billion of debts were cleared.
Gazprom halted supplies to Ukraine for almost two weeks in 2009, a move that caused shortages in Europe.
Ukrainian officials have said the state has come close to bankruptcy since protesters ousted President Viktor Yanukovych at the end of February.
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The US and EU have joined Ukraine’s new government in condemning as “illegal” the Crimean referendum to endorse joining Russia.
The EU, meeting in Brussels, threatened “serious consequences” if Russia did not act to de-escalate the crisis.
Crimea’s parliament earlier set a date of March 16 for a vote on the referendum.
Russian troops took de facto control of Crimea, whose population is mostly ethnic Russian, in the wake of the fall of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president.
The Crimean parliament on Thursday said it had decided “to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation”.
It said it had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin “to start the procedure”.
The US and EU have joined Ukraine’s new government in condemning as “illegal” the Crimean referendum to endorse joining Russia
Before the Brussels summit, some EU members – led by Germany – had indicated they preferred mediation with Russia to try to solve the crisis, rather than any stronger measures.
But correspondents say the Crimean parliament move has clearly toughened the line taken by the EU.
In press conferences after the talks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy both said the Crimean referendum was contrary to the Ukrainian constitution and therefore illegal.
The EU said it was suspending talks with Moscow on easing travel restrictions on Russians entering the EU.
It said that if Russia did not move to de-escalate the situation quickly, it would “decide on additional measures, such as travel bans, asset freezes and the cancellation of the EU-Russia summit”.
The EU statement said that “any further steps by the Russian Federation to destabilize the situation in Ukraine would lead to severe and far-reaching consequences… which will include a broad range of economic areas”.
President Barack Obama said the Crimea referendum would “violate the Ukrainian constitution and international law”.
The US president said there was a way to resolve the crisis with Russia through diplomacy but that “if the violation continues, the resolve of the US and its allies will remain firm”.
Barack Obama praised the “international unity on display at this moment”.
The US had earlier issued visa restrictions on a number of unnamed Ukrainian and Russian officials and individuals “to deny visas to those responsible for, or complicit in, threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
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Crimea’s parliament has voted to become part of the Russian Federation.
The southern Ukrainian region’s parliament said the decision would be put to the Crimean people for their verdict in a referendum on March 16.
A government minister in Kiev said they believe it would be unconstitutional for Crimea to join Russia.
Crimea, a region whose population is mostly ethnic Russian (58.5%), has been at the centre of tensions following the fall of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president.
Pro-Russian and Russian forces have been in de facto control of the peninsula, which already enjoys a degree of autonomy from Kiev, for several days.
The announcement from Crimea’s parliament comes as EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss how to respond to Russia’s troop deployment on Ukrainian soil.
The Crimean parliament resolved “to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation”.
Crimea’s parliament has voted to become part of the Russian Federation (photo Reuters)
In a statement on its website, parliament said it has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin “to start the procedure” of formally allowing Crimea to join the Russian Federation.
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was aware of developments in the Crimean parliament, but no response has yet been made public.
If Russia agrees to Crimea’s request, the Crimean people will be asked two questions in the March 16 referendum, the statement says.
1. Are you in favor of reuniting Crimea with Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation?
2. Are you in favor of retaining the status of Crimea as part of Ukraine?
Ukraine’s interim Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta, speaking in Kiev soon after the announcement was made, said: “We’re not working out what to do if Crimea joins the Russian Federation because we believe it’s unconstitutional.”
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The foreign ministers from Russia, the US and key EU states are holding talks in Paris to try to resolve Ukraine crisis.
The US wants independent observers in the flashpoint region of Crimea and direct talks between Kiev and Moscow.
Russia was expected to call for greater representation for Ukraine’s Russian-speaking areas in the Kiev government.
The EU earlier offered 11 billionn euros ($15 billion) of aid to Ukraine and froze the assets of 18 Ukrainians.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the package of loans and grants over the next couple of years was “designed to assist a committed, inclusive and reforms-oriented government” in Kiev.
Russian soldiers at Sevastopol naval base in Ukraine (photo Itar-Tass)
Ukraine’s finance ministry has predicted it needs $35 billion to rescue the economy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met US Secretary of State John Kerry and counterparts from France, Germany and the UK on the sidelines of a long-planned conference on Lebanon in Paris.
NATO and Russia have been holding parallel talks in Brussels.
The Paris gathering is being seen above all as a chance to test the waters for a dialogue about Ukraine.
In the US, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel announced plans to expand US military co-operation with Poland and Baltic states.
Chuck Hagel said the US would step up joint aviation training with Poland, and increase its participation in NATO’s mission to police the air space of Baltic countries.
The announcement was a direct response to concerns raised last week by Poland, he said.
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According to new reports, Russian volunteers are being recruited via social media to cross the border into Ukraine to offer “moral support”.
“We need men aged 18-45 who are already in Ukraine, or are ready to go,” says the “Civil Defense of Ukraine” page on VKontakte, the main Russian-language social network.
The page was set up just over a week ago and has more than 7,000 followers. It includes an online form calling for recruits and is asking male volunteers to cross the border, to offer what it calls “moral support” to people they believe have been put at risk by the recent “coup”.
Vladimir Prokopenko, whose name is at the top of a list of members on the site, has been widely quoted in the Russian press as saying he wants Russians to travel to Ukraine to engage in peaceful protest rallies.
“If the situation becomes violent, then we will not send anyone,” Vladimir Prokopenko told the Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
“We send people to Donetsk and Kharkiv,” the VKontakte page says – both cities in eastern Ukraine.
Russian volunteers are being recruited via social media to cross the border into Ukraine to offer moral support
The page also mentions Odessa, in south-west Ukraine, as an important destination. Offering advice to Russians attempting to cross the border, the site encourages people to avoid attracting attention.
“Remember, you’re just a tourist,” it says.
Separate and unconfirmed reports claim some Russian citizens have been paid to travel to Kharkiv in Ukraine, where they have been involved in violent clashes.
VKontakte is a widely used social network in Russia, which reportedly has 100 million active users.
The campaign echoes the sentiment behind a hashtag which has trended on Twitter in recent days. #РоссияСвоихНеБросает, which translates roughly as “Russia doesn’t leave its own behind” and has been used almost 85,000 times, appears to express a common bond felt by Russians towards Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens.
Newly created Twitter accounts have apparently been used to tweet the hashtag repeatedly, in order to make it trend.
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Russia and the US are due to hold crucial talks to try to ease tensions over the Ukraine crisis.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to meet on the sidelines of a long-planned conference on Lebanon in Paris.
The US accuses Moscow of deploying troops in Ukraine’s Crimea region, describing it as an “act of aggression” – a claim denied by the Kremlin.
Despite the sharp differences, both sides have hinted they would prefer to start a dialogue.
Moscow remains in de facto control of Ukraine’s southern autonomous region.
The tense stand-off continued overnight in Crimea, with reports that Russian forces have seized part of a Ukrainian missile defense unit.
In Donetsk, east of Ukraine, the regional government building has been evacuated and the area cordoned off amid unconfirmed reports of a bomb scare.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to meet on the sidelines of a long-planned conference on Lebanon in Paris
Earlier this week tensions escalated over Russia’s warnings that it could move beyond Crimea into eastern Ukraine to protect Russians and Russian-speakers there.
The move has triggered wide condemnation across the globe.
Meanwhile, NATO and Russia will hold talks in Brussels.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen earlier said Russia continued to “violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss his plan to de-escalate the crisis, White House officials said.
They said Barack Obama’s offer to Moscow envisaged the return of the Russian troops in Crimea back to the bases of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in the peninsula.
The plan – which Barack Obama discussed with President Vladimir Putin on Saturday – also calls for sending a group of international monitors to Ukraine to ensure the rights of ethnic Russians are protected.
And it encourages a direct dialogue between the government in Kiev and Moscow.
The Kremlin has so far not publicly commented on the offer.
Both President Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov have said they want to see a government of national unity in Ukraine, with more representation for the Russian-speaking population in the east of the country.
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Russia says it has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, as tension continues over Ukraine’s Crimea region.
A Topol RS-12M missile was launched from Russia’s Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea to the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan, it said.
It comes after the US accused Russia of an “act of aggression” in Crimea.
The US said it was given advance notice of the missile launch, as required by bilateral arms treaties.
The Topol was fired at 22:10 local time, the defense ministry in Moscow said, adding: “The aim of the launch was to test a promising intercontinental ballistic missile payload.”
A Topol RS-12M missile was launched from Russia’s Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea to the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan
The nuclear-capable missile reached its target successfully, it said.
Tests of the missile, one of Russia’s newest, are not unusual but the timing of the launch if confirmed, is likely to alarm observers of the crisis with Ukraine.
Moscow is in de facto control of the Crimean peninsula after troops thought to be Russian or pro-Russian took control of strategic points in recent days.
Troops are surrounding Ukrainian military bases and other installations, while two Ukrainian warships are reported to be blocked by a Russian ship in the port of Sevastopol.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the troops are Russian, saying they are “local self-defense forces” loyal to Moscow, protecting the bases from “nationalists” and “anti-Semites”.
Vladimir Putin said Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted as Ukraine’s president in late February after months of protest, remained the legitimate leader, though he admitted that he had “no political future”.
Kiev and the West have accused Russia of mounting an invasion of Crimea, which has a majority Russian-speaking population.
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President Vladimir Putin says there is no need yet to send Russian troops into Ukraine, but he has not ruled out doing so.
Russia reserves the right to use “all means” to protect citizens in Ukraine, he told a news conference.
Russian and Ukrainian troops in Crimea are involved in a tense stand-off.
Vladimir Putin called the toppling of Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych in the capital Kiev an “anti-constitutional coup and armed seizure of power”.
The Russian president said “militants” had plunged the country into “chaos”. He also said Ukrainian “nationalists” and “anti-Semites” were roaming the streets of Kiev and other cities.
Vladimir Putin says there is no need yet to send Russian troops into Ukraine, but he has not ruled out doing so
If Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine asked for Russia’s help then Moscow would respond, he said.
In Crimea pro-Russian armed men and civilians are surrounding Ukrainian military bases – not Russian soldiers, he said.
Viktor Yanukovych had agreed to all that the opposition wanted, Vladimir Putin said.
Vladimir Putin insisted that Viktor Yanukovych was still the legitimate president.
There were only three legal means to remove a president, he said: death, personal resignation or impeachment.
Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia, and Vladimir Putin told the news conference: “I don’t think he has a political future.”
Russia had helped Viktor Yanukovych for “humanitarian” reasons, Vladimir Putin said, “otherwise he’d just have been killed”.
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Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin has claimed that ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych asked Moscow to send troops across the border to protect civilians.
Vitaly Churkin told a Security Council meeting that Viktor Yanukovych wrote President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
Thousands of Russian troops have been deployed to Ukraine’s Crimea region.
Russian troops have also been holding military exercises near Ukraine’s borders, but now Vladimir Putin has ordered them back to base, the Kremlin says.
Ukraine said Russia had set a deadline for its forces in Crimea to surrender by 03:00 GMT. So far there have been no reports of any incidents.
Russia has denied issuing any ultimatum.
The Kremlin has argued in favor of the intervention, which has sparked outrage and threats of economic sanctions from the US and EU.
Western ambassadors dismissed Russia’s arguments as groundless.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is on his way to Kiev to meet Ukraine’s new leaders and show support for the country’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s UN envoy Yuriy Sergeyev says Russia has deployed about 16,000 troops to the peninsula.
Vitaly Churkin told a Security Council meeting that Viktor Yanukovych wrote Vladimir Putin asking for troops in Crimea
Ukrainian defence sources accused Russia’s Black Sea Fleet chief Aleksander Vitko of threatening a full-scale assault if they did not surrender by dawn on Tuesday.
A Russian spokesman later denied that any ultimatum had been issued.
Ukrainian military personnel besieged in their bases waited nervously for the deadline to pass, many of them preparing for an attack by Russian troops and pro-Moscow militias.
However, a deputy commander at one of Ukraine’s units, named only as Major Lisovoy, told local ATR TV that there were no attempts to storm the base.
“We’re all in high spirits, ready to defend our base. There was no official ultimatum, it was done indirectly via mobile phones. I want peace and stability, and for Ukraine to be a united country.”
The Kremlin has established de facto military control in Crimea. There are growing fears that it might try to seize more land in eastern Ukraine, where a number of people support closer ties with Moscow.
Ukrainian officials say reports suggest there is also a Russian military build-up near Ukraine’s eastern border.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said it was putting on hold all military-to-military engagements between the US and Russia. These include exercises, bilateral meetings, port visits and planning conferences.
At the UN in New York, Vitaly Churkin offered the Security Council a copy of the letter Viktor Yanukovych had sent.
Vitaly Churkin said Viktor Yanukovych had described Ukraine as on the brink of civil war, with civilians being persecuted simply for speaking Russian.
Ukraine’s officials deny this, pointing out that an overwhelming majority of people in Crimea and well as in a number south-eastern cities in Ukraine’s mainland speak Russian in their day-to-day lives.
Vitaly Churkin quoted from the letter: “I would call on the president of Russia, Mr Putin, asking him to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to establish legitimacy, peace, law and order, stability and defending the people of Ukraine.”
He reiterated Moscow’s view that Viktor Yanukovych is Ukraine’s legitimate leader, not interim President Oleksandr Turchynov.
Western ambassadors refused to accept Russia’s justification, continuing to accuse Moscow of violating international law.
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Russia’s military has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea an ultimatum until dawn on Tuesday to surrender or face an assault.
The head of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Aleksander Vitko set the deadline and also threatened two warships, Ukrainian officials said.
However, Interfax news agency later quoted a fleet spokesman who denied that any ultimatum had been issued.
Moscow has said its troops are needed in Crimea to protect civilians.
Russia’s military has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea an ultimatum until dawn on Tuesday to surrender or face an assault (photo Reuters)
The Kremlin says people in Crimea have come under threat from “ultra-nationalists” since pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted last month.
Russia is now said to be in de facto control of the Crimea region.
Ukraine has ordered full mobilization to counter the intervention.
No shots have yet been fired in the region, which has a majority of Russian speakers and a largely pro-Russian local government.
But the captain of one of the threatened warships told Ukrainian TV his men were prepared to fight and would not surrender.
The trouble began last month when pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted following months of street protests.
Russia claims its military is protecting human rights in Crimea, but Kiev, the US and Western Europe have condemned the actions.
Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said earlier that any attempt to seize Crimea would fail, urging allies to give economic and political support to his government.
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Russia has taken de facto armed control in Ukraine’s Crimea region, despite Western demands that it withdraw.
Thousands of Russian troops are securing the region and further armor and ship movements have been reported.
Ukraine has ordered full mobilization, issuing call-up papers and asking for more international support.
Russia says it is protecting its interests and those of Russian-speakers in Crimea and elsewhere in Ukraine following the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych last month.
The crisis hit Russian stock markets on Monday, with Moscow’s main MICEX index dropping 9% in early trading. The rouble fell to a fresh all-time low against the US dollar and Russia’s central bank raised its key lending rate to 7% from 5.5%.
Russia has taken de facto armed control in Ukraine’s Crimea region
Thousands of newly arrived Russian elite troops far outnumber Ukraine’s military presence with roadblocks cutting off Crimea.
Ukrainian border guards have reported a build-up of armored vehicles on the Russian side of the sea channel dividing Russia and Crimea.
Pro-Russian troops have taken over the ferry terminal in far-eastern Crimea that operates services to Russia.
There have also been further movements of Russian ships in the Black Sea – Sevastopol is the base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Some mobile phone services are reported to be blocked.
Ukrainian navy commanders on Monday confirmed their loyalty to Ukraine, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported, despite an attempt by pro-Russian personnel to enter the navy HQ in Simferopol and force them to switch allegiance.
Ukraine’s interim government has called for more international support to force Russian troops to leave.
While Kiev hopes to resolve this crisis through dialogue, it is now mobilizing its military forces.
Men across Ukraine have been receiving call-up papers and will start reporting for 10 days training from Monday.
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Russia’s military build-up in Ukraine has been condemned by its G8 partners amid fresh diplomatic efforts to avert a dangerous escalation of the crisis.
The world’s seven major industrialized powers also suspended preparations for the G8 summit in Sochi in June.
Meanwhile, the EU foreign ministers are due to meet in emergency session in Brussels.
The moves come as Russian military forces continue to strengthen their grip on the Crimean peninsula.
Ukraine’s interim government has accused Russia of having declared war, and has ordered the mobilization of its armed forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far defied calls from the West to pull back his troops.
He insists Russia has a right to protect its interests and those of Russian-speakers in Crimea and elsewhere in Ukraine.
The UN said on Sunday that Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson was travelling to Ukraine to be “personally apprised of the facts on the ground”.
Russia’s military build-up in Ukraine has been condemned by its G8 partners
A statement said he would brief UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “on the next steps the United Nations could take to support the de-escalation of the situation”.
On Monday morning, the MICEX index of stocks in Moscow suffered an initial fall of about 5% and the rouble fell 2.5% to an all-time low against the US dollar.
Russia’s central bank also raised its main interest rate to 7% from 5.5%.
The G7 of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US urged Russia to hold talks with Ukraine to address any human rights or security concerns it had.
In a statement released from the White House, the grouping said it condemned “the Russian Federation’s clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
It added: “We have decided for the time being to suspend our participation in activities associated with the preparation of the scheduled G8 Summit in Sochi in June.”
G7 finance ministers said they were ready “to provide strong financial backing to Ukraine”.
“The International Monetary Fund [IMF] remains the institution best prepared to help Ukraine address its immediate economic challenges through policy advice and financing,” a statement said.
Ukraine needs $35 billion over the next two years, according to the finance ministry.
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Ukraine is calling up military reservists following Russia’s decision to deploy troops in Crimea.
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov had already ordered increased security at key sites, including nuclear plants.
Meanwhile President Barack Obama has called the Russian decision a “violation of Ukrainian sovereignty”.
Heavily armed groups continue to occupy key sites in Crimea, including airports and communications hubs
Ukraine has said it will seek the help of US and UK leaders in guaranteeing its security. NATO has called emergency talks to be held on Sunday at 12:00 GMT.
The new Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk has warned that military action by Moscow would be “the beginning of war and the end of relations”.
Heavily armed groups continue to occupy key sites in Crimea, including airports and communications hubs, although there has been no actual violence.
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President Barack Obama has urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to pull his troops back from Ukraine.
In a 90-minute phone conversation, Barack Obama urged Vladimir Putin to pull forces back to bases in Crimea.
Vladimir Putin responded by saying that Moscow reserves the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.
Meanwhile, Canada has recalled its ambassador to Moscow for consultations.
Canadian PM Stephen Harper said he was also suspending Canada’s preparations for a G8 summit in the Russian resort of Sochi in June.
Ukraine says it has put its army on full combat alert after Russia’s parliament approved the deployment of Russian troops.
In a 90-minute phone conversation, Barack Obama urged Vladimir Putin to pull forces back to bases in Crimea
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said he had also stepped up security at key sites, including nuclear plants.
According to the White House, Barack Obama told Vladimir Putin that the appropriate way to address any concerns “is peacefully through direct engagement” with the Ukrainian government and international mediating bodies.
“President Obama expressed his deep concern over Russia’s clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the White House said.
Barack Obama told Vladimir Putin his actions were a “breach of international law, including Russia’s obligations under the UN Charter, and of its 1997 military basing agreement with Ukraine”, a statement added.
The Kremlin said that in his phone call with Barack Obama, President Vladimir Putin “underlined that there are real threats to the life and health of Russian citizens and compatriots on Ukrainian territory”.
As diplomatic efforts increased, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he had spoken with foreign ministers from Europe and Canada as well as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and the Japanese envoy to the US “to co-ordinate on next steps”.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for “an immediate restoration of calm and direct dialogue”, whilst NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen tweeted: “Urgent need for de-escalation in Crimea.”
The UN Security Council held an emergency session on the crisis on Saturday, and NATO has called emergency talks to be held on Sunday at 1200 GMT.
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President Vladimir Putin’s request for Russian forces to be used in Ukraine has been approved by the upper house of parliament.
Vladimir Putin had asked that Russian forces be used “until the normalization 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 Oleksandr Turchynov has called an emergency session of his security chiefs.
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 upper house went into a special session almost immediately after Vladimir Putin made the request, in what seems to have been a carefully co-ordinated series of events during the day
Earlier, the lower house of parliament had urged the president to take whatever measures were necessary to “stabilize” the situation in Crimea.
Russia’s upper house of parliament has approved Vladimir Putin’s request for Russian troops deployment in Ukraine
During the upper house debate, one legislator accused President Barack Obama of crossing “a red line” with his comments 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 Vladimir Putin.
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 Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh said on Saturday there are now an extra 6,000 Russian troops in Crimea, alongside an additional 30 armored 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.
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President Barack Obama has warned Russia against any military intervention in Ukraine.
The US president said he was deeply concerned by reports of Russian military movements inside Ukraine.
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandry Turchynov has accused Russia of deploying troops to the Ukrainian region of Crimea and trying to provoke Kiev into “armed conflict”.
Crimea’s pro-Moscow PM Sergey Aksyonov has asked Russian authorities for help in maintaining peace in the region.
“I appeal to the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to provide assistance in ensuring peace and tranquility on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” Sergey Aksyonov said in a statement.
Sergey Aksyonov, who was appointed by the Crimean parliament on Thursday, also said he was taking control of Crimea’s interior ministry, armed forces, fleet and border guards “on a temporary basis”.
The new cabinet in Ukraine is due to meet for the first time on Saturday to discuss the deepening crisis over Russia’s reported military deployments.
Russia’s UN ambassador earlier insisted any troop movements in Crimea were within an existing arrangement with Ukraine.
Barack Obama has warned Russia against any military intervention in Ukraine
Overnight reports said armed men in unidentified military uniforms had seized another airfield.
On Friday they took over airports in the Crimean capital, Simferopol, and Sevastopol, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based.
Ukrainian media citing local officials said 13 Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops had landed at a military air base near Simferopol. The report remains unconfirmed.
Russian armored vehicles and helicopters were also seen in and around Simferopol and Sevastopol.
Flights from and to Simferopol were cancelled with airlines saying airspace over the peninsula had been closed.
The armed men also moved in on Crimea’s parliament, state television building and telecommunication centers.
Speaking from the White House, Barack Obama commended Ukraine’s interim government for its “restraint”.
“Any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing, which is not in the interests of Ukraine, Russia or Europe,” he said.
“It would represent a profound interference in matters that must be determined by the Ukrainian people. It would be a clear violation of Russia’s commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty and borders of Ukraine – and of international laws.”
Barack Obama added: “Just days after the world came to Russia for the Olympic games, it would invite the condemnation of nations around the world. And, indeed, the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.”
The president did not spell out what any US response might be.
In a TV address on Friday, Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said Moscow wanted the new government to react to provocations so it could annex Crimea.
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