16:02
12.3.2014
This just in from the wires:
The Polish prime minister says the European Union will probably sign the political part of its association agreement with Ukraine next week. Donald Tusk was speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Reuters, dpa)
The Polish prime minister says the European Union will probably sign the political part of its association agreement with Ukraine next week. Donald Tusk was speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Reuters, dpa)
15:55
12.3.2014
http://t.co/42Tkz1z87H Fumbling for words, #Russia-appointed prosecutor general of #Crimea vows to uphold...#Ukraine's laws. #CrimeaInvasion
â Ukrainian Updates (@Ukroblogger) March 12, 2014
14:56
12.3.2014
Interesting: Kyiv architecture chief Serhiy Tselovalnyk has announced that the reconstruction of Ukraine's Independence Square, badly damaged but also immortalized during the 3-month Euromaidan protests, will be determined by an international competition. This will include a discussion of which monuments will be placed in the square, as well as the possibility of creating a museum dedicated to the "heavenly hundreds" -- the victims of Euromaidan violence. Tselovalnyk says the first meeting related to the reconstruction will be held in a week.
14:44
12.3.2014
Watch Yanukovych's minions spend three days clearing out his more prized possessions before his sudden flight from Ukraine:
14:35
12.3.2014
Russian news agencies say Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is offering to host 12-15 Russian warplanes on its territory to counter NATO's increase in the deployment of its warplanes to member countries near Ukraine.
Lukashenka said today that if NATO deploys airplanes to Baltic states then Belarus needs to contact the Russian General Staff and insist on the deployment of Russian warplanes to help guard Belarus's western borders.
Lukashenka said Belarus must respond to the increased presence of the "United States and NATO in the region."
Speaking about the situation in Ukraine, Lukashenka said, "Of course, we are concerned about the situation that is unfolding in Ukraine.... These are our brothers."
Lukashenka said today that if NATO deploys airplanes to Baltic states then Belarus needs to contact the Russian General Staff and insist on the deployment of Russian warplanes to help guard Belarus's western borders.
Lukashenka said Belarus must respond to the increased presence of the "United States and NATO in the region."
Speaking about the situation in Ukraine, Lukashenka said, "Of course, we are concerned about the situation that is unfolding in Ukraine.... These are our brothers."
14:33
12.3.2014
The editor in chief of the respected "Lenta.ru" news portal, Galina Timchenko, has stepped down from her post. Timchenko, who has worked at Lenta.ru since its inception in 1999, has held the top post for a decade.
The decision follows complaints by the Kremlin about Lenta's decision to publish an interview with Dmytro Yarosh, the head of Ukraine's nationalist Right Sector. Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal service for the supervision of all things media, issued a warning to Lenta.ru on March 12 "for posting extremist materials" that violate Russian laws.
The site, in fact, published on March 10 an interview with Andriy Tarasenko, the head of Right Sector's Kyiv branch. That interview in turn linked to material titled: "Dmytro Yarosh: We are Destined to Fight the Moscow Empire Sooner or Later," which Roskomnadzor said "contained wording that incites ethnic discord." That material appears to have been published in 2008 not by Lenta.ru, but by the press service of the Stepan Bandera Trident, the nationalist group which Yarosh created.
14:28
12.3.2014
More on the leaders of the G7 group of advanced economies warning to Russia to "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea" or face action, from agencies.
A statement from the seven nations released from the White House says the referendum scheduled for this weekend "would have no legal effect" and that they won't recognize its results. The statement was from the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States, along with the European Council and the European Commission.
A statement from the seven nations released from the White House says the referendum scheduled for this weekend "would have no legal effect" and that they won't recognize its results. The statement was from the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States, along with the European Council and the European Commission.
14:21
12.3.2014
"The New York Times" David Herszenhorn points out the following via his Facebook page:
With the Crimean Parliament declaring "independence" today, important to note that the Crimean Constitution declares Crimea to be part of Ukraine, and sets forth the methods for amending the Constitution, which require approval not only of the Crimean Parliament but also the national Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev. In other words, Crimean lawmakers at the moment are basically making things up as they go along. The people of Crimea may have a God-given right to self-determination, but crucial not to expect that there's any basis in existing law for what is happening. Among several crucial Constitutional provisions at issue:
Article 1
1. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea shall be an integral part of Ukraine and it shall solve, within the powers conferred upon it by the Constitution of Ukraine, any and all matters coming within its terms of reference.
Article 6
5. No one shall be entitled to acquire or make use of any powers of authority in defiance of the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian laws, the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the statutory acts of the Supreme Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Article 1
1. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea shall be an integral part of Ukraine and it shall solve, within the powers conferred upon it by the Constitution of Ukraine, any and all matters coming within its terms of reference.
Article 6
5. No one shall be entitled to acquire or make use of any powers of authority in defiance of the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian laws, the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the statutory acts of the Supreme Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
14:14
12.3.2014
From agencies:
Leaders of the Group of Seven economies have told Russia to stop its work on a referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region and "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea" or face action.
13:39
12.3.2014
Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, says Moscow has refused any diplomatic contacts over the crisis in Crimea.
Turchynov told AFP that heavily outnumbered Ukraine would not go to war with Russia over Crimea, as it would leave the country's eastern border exposed and unprotected. He said Moscow so far has refused "all contact at the foreign ministry and top government level" and is "rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict."
Turchynov told AFP that heavily outnumbered Ukraine would not go to war with Russia over Crimea, as it would leave the country's eastern border exposed and unprotected. He said Moscow so far has refused "all contact at the foreign ministry and top government level" and is "rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict."