09:41
19.3.2014
An EU spokesman has denied a Russian report claiming that European Council President Herman Van Rompuy had planned to meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow today to discuss the Ukrainian crisis. Spokesman Preben Aamann said Van Rompuy would instead be preparing for a European Council meeting later in the week.
Russia's Foreign Ministry charged that the EU canceled the meeting because it refused to "hear the truth." The ministry alleged that Van Rompuy "was not allowed" to come to Russia "by his own people."
AFP quoted a diplomatic source as saying the trip was canceled because the Russians made it public.
The EU said on March 18 that it "does not and will not recognize the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation."
Russia's Foreign Ministry charged that the EU canceled the meeting because it refused to "hear the truth." The ministry alleged that Van Rompuy "was not allowed" to come to Russia "by his own people."
AFP quoted a diplomatic source as saying the trip was canceled because the Russians made it public.
The EU said on March 18 that it "does not and will not recognize the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation."
10:49
19.3.2014
Russia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the annexation of Crimea is legal.
The chairman of the court, Valery Zorkin, says the court had found the treaty governing "the accession of Ukraine's Crimea autonomous republic and the city of Sevastopol to Russia" to be in line with the Russian Constitution.
The chairman of the court, Valery Zorkin, says the court had found the treaty governing "the accession of Ukraine's Crimea autonomous republic and the city of Sevastopol to Russia" to be in line with the Russian Constitution.
10:54
19.3.2014
Kyiv is sending acting Ukrainian Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh and First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema to Crimea in an effort to "resolve the situation" in Sevastopol, where pro-Moscow forces stormed Ukrainian navy headquarters and raised a Russian flag.
10:55
19.3.2014
But will they be allowed in?
Crimea's secessionist Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov is quoted by Interfax as saying Tenyukh and Yarema will not be allowed to enter Crimea.
Crimea's secessionist Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov is quoted by Interfax as saying Tenyukh and Yarema will not be allowed to enter Crimea.
11:00
19.3.2014
Two Russian Black Sea Fleet officers just entered the Sevastopol base.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 19, 2014
11:04
19.3.2014
The young woman introduced by breakaway authorities as the new "Crimean prosecutor," Natalia Poklonskaya, has identified the "self-defense" troop reportedly killed during the raid on a Ukrainian base on March 18 as "a Cossack from the self-defense forces." She added that "single shots were fired simultaneously both at Ukrainian troops and [pro-Russian] self-defense forces. Damage has been inflicted on both sides."
11:06
19.3.2014
11:08
19.3.2014
Ukraine's acting defense minister, Ihor Tenyukh, says his country will not pull its troops out of Crimea. About 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently serving on the peninsula.
Тенюх: украинские военные не будут выведены из Крыма, несмотря на принятие региона в состав России #новости #крым http://t.co/HaA2rszZMC
— Радио Свобода (@SvobodaRadio) March 19, 2014
11:09
19.3.2014
In Canberra, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announces that "the Australian government will impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against those who have been instrumental in the Russian threat to Ukraine's sovereignty. The actions taken by Russia are a clear violation of international rules prohibiting the use of force and protecting the territorial integrity of states. International law does not allow one state to steal the territory of another on the basis of a referendum that cannot be considered free or fair."
Bishop adds: "The referendum carried out in Crimea on 16 March was not authorized by Ukraine and was carried out while Russian forces were effectively in control of the territory. It cannot form the legitimate basis of any alteration to the status of Crimea."
Bishop adds: "The referendum carried out in Crimea on 16 March was not authorized by Ukraine and was carried out while Russian forces were effectively in control of the territory. It cannot form the legitimate basis of any alteration to the status of Crimea."
11:17
19.3.2014
A safe being carried out of the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol, stormed earlier by pro-Russian forces
Выносят сейф из штаба ВМС в Севастополе. pic.twitter.com/QOh4Ro6Lqx
— ЄВРОМАЙДАН (@euromaidan) March 19, 2014