11:42
14.3.2014
BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have just headed into Ukraine crisis talks in London. Before the meeting began, Lavrov told reporters that it is a "difficult situation" and that "a lot of time has been lost" in finding a solution.
11:40
14.3.2014
Russian and Ukrainian agencies are reporting that Former Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has held talks in Berlin with former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
The press service of Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party said Khodorkovsky visited Tymoshenko in the Charite clinic in Berlin on Thursday.
Tymoshenko is being treated at the clinic for back pain following her release from jail in the wake of antigovernment protests that toppled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in late February.
Tymoshenko and Khodorkovsky discussed the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian forces are occupying Crimea. No further details were released.
On Sunday, Khodorkovsky visited the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, where he publicly expressed support for Ukraine's new government and blamed Russian officials for the escalation of tensions.
Khodorkovsky, the former Yukos oil chief, was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned on tax evasion and other charges. He was amnestied in December.
Tymoshenko is being treated at the clinic for back pain following her release from jail in the wake of antigovernment protests that toppled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in late February.
Tymoshenko and Khodorkovsky discussed the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian forces are occupying Crimea. No further details were released.
On Sunday, Khodorkovsky visited the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, where he publicly expressed support for Ukraine's new government and blamed Russian officials for the escalation of tensions.
Khodorkovsky, the former Yukos oil chief, was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned on tax evasion and other charges. He was amnestied in December.
11:26
14.3.2014
According to the agencies, a leader of a pro-Russian group has been detained in Ukraine's eastern province of Luhansk:
Ukraine's Security Service said Friday that Oleksandr Kharytonov, leader of the Luhansk Guard, has been charged with calls for an unconstitutional seizure of power, organization of mass disturbances, and the illegal seizure of state and public buildings.
On Sunday, pro-Russian groups in Luhansk clashed with pro-government activists.
They replaced the Ukrainian national flag with the Russian national flag on the regional administration building and announced that Kharytonov was now the region's "people's governor."
On Tuesday, the former governor of Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, Mykhaylo Dobkin, was placed under house arrest in Kyiv on similar charges.
On Thursday, Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes was placed under partial house arrest for his alleged role in attacks by pro-Russian groups against pro-Western activists in Kharkiv in late February.
On Sunday, pro-Russian groups in Luhansk clashed with pro-government activists.
They replaced the Ukrainian national flag with the Russian national flag on the regional administration building and announced that Kharytonov was now the region's "people's governor."
On Tuesday, the former governor of Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, Mykhaylo Dobkin, was placed under house arrest in Kyiv on similar charges.
On Thursday, Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes was placed under partial house arrest for his alleged role in attacks by pro-Russian groups against pro-Western activists in Kharkiv in late February.
11:23
14.3.2014
The world, seemingly, will never tire of bare-chested Putin and storks.
Putin leads aerial invasion of #Crimea #Ukraine today. pic.twitter.com/sWljyIiGjU #Putin #Russia #Euromaidan h/t @OracleofWallSt:
— Jeremy Nicholl (@Russian_Photos) March 9, 2014
10:49
14.3.2014
More on the man killed in yesterday's violence in Donetsk:
Dmytro Chernyavskiy, 22, was an activist with the regional branch of the Svoboda nationalist party. He had long served as a party press secretary. His death was announced by the head of Svoboda's Donetsk branch, Ihor Slavhorodskiy.
Chernyavskiy died of knife wounds en route to hospital. A total of 17 people sought medical assistance following the violence.
Dmytro Chernyavskiy, 22, was an activist with the regional branch of the Svoboda nationalist party. He had long served as a party press secretary. His death was announced by the head of Svoboda's Donetsk branch, Ihor Slavhorodskiy.
Chernyavskiy died of knife wounds en route to hospital. A total of 17 people sought medical assistance following the violence.
10:36
14.3.2014
Ukraine's 1+1 broadcaster has published a message of support for Lenta.ru and other news outlets that have been blocked or otherwise pressured in the past two days.
"We thank you colleagues from Lenta.ru for their objective coverage of the events in Ukraine. We believe that a future in free, developed, democratic countries awaits both you and us."
"We thank you colleagues from Lenta.ru for their objective coverage of the events in Ukraine. We believe that a future in free, developed, democratic countries awaits both you and us."
10:24
14.3.2014
Two days ahead of separatist referendum, new banners on Kirova Street in Simferopol say: "Russia loves Crimea" pic.twitter.com/aZjiVlIzJU
— David M. Herszenhorn (@herszenhorn) March 14, 2014
10:19
14.3.2014
Andriy Parubiy, the former Euromaidan commandant who now heads Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, says a "plan B" exists in case of open aggression by Russia.
Parubiy offered no details, saying only: "This plan will be elaborated and implemented very quickly. It's not only about evacuation."
Read more here:
10:09
14.3.2014
Although the EU has yet to release a formal list of Russians to be targeted by EU sanctions, unofficial lists abound, including this, published by the Information Resistance -- an information alert network made up of Ukrainian military reservists. (IR says it received the list directly from a source in Brussels.)
Officials associated with Crimea operation:
-- Aleksandr Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service
-- Sergei Glazyov, presidential advisor
-- Nikolai Patrushev, Security Council head
-- Sergei Shoigu, defense minister
-- Vladislav Surkov, presidential aide
-- Aleksandr Vitko, commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet
Political figures and colorful extras:
-- Valentina Matvienko, Federation Council head
-- Aleksei Pushkov, head of the State Duma foreign affairs committee
-- Dmitry Rogozin, deputy prime minister
-- Vladimir Zhirinovsky, State Duma member
-- Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechen leader
-- Aleksandr Zaldostanov, head of the Night Wolves bikers
-- Dmitry Kiselyov, general director of the "Russia Today" news agency
Putin's business allies:
-- Aleksei Miller, Gazprom chair
-- Igor Sechin, Rosneft head
-- Vladimir Yakunin, Russian Railways head
09:41
14.3.2014
No list of #Crimea, #Russia sanctions names yet agreed for foreign mins to sign off on Monday, senior #EU official says. Work continues.
— laurence norman (@laurnorman) March 14, 2014