11:28
17.3.2014
should be 10 individuals from #Russia & 8 individuals from #Crimea on the EU sanction list to be adopted today
— Rikard Jozwiak (@RikardJozwiak) March 17, 2014
11:25
17.3.2014
Following on the announcement by Crimean authorities that they would switch to Moscow's time zone at the end of this month.
I wonder how Dmitry Medvedev feels about the decision by Crimean authorities to adjust the times zones.
— Glenn Kates (@gkates) March 17, 2014
11:11
17.3.2014
Apart from restrictions on individuals today we are discussing readiness for further measures against Russia if there is no de-escalation.
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) March 17, 2014
11:02
17.3.2014
Putin will reportedly address a joint session of the Russian parliament on Crimea on March 18 at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time. That according to Duma deputy speaker Ivan Melnikov and Garry Minkh, the Kremlin's representative in the State Duma
10:48
17.3.2014
As EU leaders meet to discuss slapping sanctions on Russia over Crimea, the "EU Observer" carries an interesting piece noting the extent of EU arms sales to Russia. It's not just France's $1.4 billion sale of two Mistral warships to Russia.
A sample:
A sample:
The Mistral, as it turned out, was also - figuratively speaking - an ice-breaker.
Other projects and deals followed, such as joint Franco-Russian development of a new generation of Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Thales, a French electronics and defence technology giant, is also helping to equip the Russian armed forces with thermal-vision, or night-operations, capability.
As recently as last month, Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s first deputy prime minister in charge of the defence industry, declared a new era of Franco-Russian military co-operation, involving joined competences and deeper exchange of information.
Germany is also expanding its military exports to Russia.
Its Federal Security Council, headed by the Chancellor, has made a habit of dolling out export permits left and right to sending German-made military equipment to countries which have dubious human rights records and which could potentially misuse the materials to suppress domestic dissent or to stir up regional conflicts.
Russia is among them - getting up to 500 export permits in 2011 alone, according to the Military Equipment Export Report.
Other projects and deals followed, such as joint Franco-Russian development of a new generation of Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Thales, a French electronics and defence technology giant, is also helping to equip the Russian armed forces with thermal-vision, or night-operations, capability.
As recently as last month, Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s first deputy prime minister in charge of the defence industry, declared a new era of Franco-Russian military co-operation, involving joined competences and deeper exchange of information.
Germany is also expanding its military exports to Russia.
Its Federal Security Council, headed by the Chancellor, has made a habit of dolling out export permits left and right to sending German-made military equipment to countries which have dubious human rights records and which could potentially misuse the materials to suppress domestic dissent or to stir up regional conflicts.
Russia is among them - getting up to 500 export permits in 2011 alone, according to the Military Equipment Export Report.
10:31
17.3.2014
Agencies report that Ukraine's parliament has endorsed a presidential decree to carry out a partial mobilization involving 40,000 reservists.
10:30
17.3.2014
Crimea's regional parliament overwhelmingly backed the independence declaration and application to join Russia at a special session this morning. It also declared all Ukrainian state property would be nationalized.
10:26
17.3.2014
Interfax reports that Crimea will switch to Moscow time on March 30. Right now Crimea is on Kyiv time, GMT+2. A move will put the peninsula two hours ahead, GMT+4
30 марта Крым перейдет на московское время http://t.co/3ImwdDB8YB
— kommersant.ru (@kommersant) March 17, 2014
10:03
17.3.2014
News agencies report that authorities in Crimea have declared the republic's independence from Ukraine and formally applied to join the Russian Federation.
22:00
16.3.2014
With the vote count apparently headed toward a huge margin of victory for Crimean secession from Ukraine to join Russia and Western governments preparing for tough decisions on specific responses, we will end our live blogging for March 16.