12:53
22.3.2014
Some 500 people in Kharkiv demanding referendum on autonomy for Eastern regions. Say bigger meeting tomorrow at 12. pic.twitter.com/b4qJj4svIQ
— Simon Kruse (@crusoes) March 22, 2014
13:05
22.3.2014
A graphic in "The Washington Post" shows specific things Ukraine loses by losing Crimea.
* MIlitary asets "including dozens of fighter aircraft, a brigade of marines, and a large portion of its navy";
* Tourism, 69 percent of which came from Ukraine and 25 percent from Russia in 2012;
* Deep sea natural gas reserves in the Black Sea waters surrounding the peninsula.
Meanwhile, Crimea gets more than 80 percent of is electricity, "most of its food supply" and "almost all of its fresh water" from mainland Ukraine.
* Tourism, 69 percent of which came from Ukraine and 25 percent from Russia in 2012;
* Deep sea natural gas reserves in the Black Sea waters surrounding the peninsula.
Meanwhile, Crimea gets more than 80 percent of is electricity, "most of its food supply" and "almost all of its fresh water" from mainland Ukraine.
13:06
22.3.2014
NPR: #Russia warns it may undercut Iran talks over sanctions http://t.co/vA6JQKVi9h
— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) March 22, 2014
13:18
22.3.2014
From the wires, via our news desk:
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the Black Sea Fleet's command to let Ukrainian armed forces servicemen wishing to leave Crimea proceed to Ukrainian territory in an organized manner. The Defense Ministry spokesperson said Saturday that the Ukrainian soldiers could drive away in their own vehicles, escorted to the border by Russian military police. It said that as of March 21, less than 2,000 Ukrainian troops had expressed the wish to leave for Ukraine -- out of more than 18,000 Ukrainian troops stationed in Crimea. The ministry said Russian state flags had been raised at 147 Ukrainian armed forces' bases and units in Crimea. Russian Navy flags have been raised on 54 Ukrainian naval ships.
13:25
22.3.2014
Polish Defense Minister calls on United States to increase its military presence in Europe.
Via Reuters:
Via Reuters:
WARSAW, March 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. should increase its military presence in Poland and in other NATO members in central and eastern Europe in light of the Ukraine crisis, Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said on Saturday.
Siemoniak said Washington was open towards the idea but detailed talks were yet to begin.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Poland last Tuesday and confirmed plans to deploy elements of a U.S. missile shield in Poland by 2018 and met with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Bronislaw Komorowski.
"The U.S. must increase its presence in (central and eastern) Europe, also in Poland," he said RMF FM radio.
"We will be talking about the details and I am happy that representatives of the U.S., the U.S. vice president are open towards these talks," he said.
During Biden's visit, Siemoniak said, "there was a clear expectation from our side, and also from all NATO allies (in) eastern Europe, that we expect a larger military presence of the U.S. and that this eastern flank of NATO must be strengthened."
13:27
22.3.2014
More from AFP on the situation at the Ukrainian air force base in Novofedorivka:
About 200 pro-Russian protesters on Saturday stormed a Ukrainian air force base in western Crimea, AFP correspondents saw.
The unarmed crowd broke through to the base in the town of Novofedorivka and started smashing windows as Ukrainian servicemen barricaded themselves inside buildings and threw smoke bombs at the intruders from the roof.
13:38
22.3.2014
Meanwhile...
Volodymyr Klitschko is currently training for his next fight in Florida: "My body is here, my mind is over there... http://t.co/ao9TAdLNoo
— English EuroMaidan (@EuroMaidanEN) March 22, 2014
13:40
22.3.2014
Latest from RFE/RL's News Desk:
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the Black Sea Fleet's command to let Ukrainian armed forces servicemen wishing to leave Crimea proceed to Ukrainian territory in an organized manner, Western and Russian news agencies report. The Defense Ministry spokesperson said Saturday that the Ukrainian soldiers could drive away in their own vehicles, escorted to the border by Russian military police. It said that as of March 21, less than 2,000 Ukrainian troops had expressed the wish to leave for Ukraine -- out of more than 18,000 Ukrainian troops stationed in Crimea. The ministry said Russian state flags had been raised at 147 Ukrainian armed forces' bases and units in Crimea. Russian Navy flags have been raised on 54 Ukrainian naval ships.test.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the Black Sea Fleet's command to let Ukrainian armed forces servicemen wishing to leave Crimea proceed to Ukrainian territory in an organized manner, Western and Russian news agencies report. The Defense Ministry spokesperson said Saturday that the Ukrainian soldiers could drive away in their own vehicles, escorted to the border by Russian military police. It said that as of March 21, less than 2,000 Ukrainian troops had expressed the wish to leave for Ukraine -- out of more than 18,000 Ukrainian troops stationed in Crimea. The ministry said Russian state flags had been raised at 147 Ukrainian armed forces' bases and units in Crimea. Russian Navy flags have been raised on 54 Ukrainian naval ships.test.
13:44
22.3.2014
Some quotes from press conference of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Kyiv.
Steinmeier:
"The referendum in Crimea last Sunday, the decision by the Russian Federation [to annex Crimea], and finally the integration of Crimea to the territory of the Russian Federation, are events that are in violation of international law and conjure up the danger of splitting Europe. Our experience and lessons from decades ago tell us that this is a situation we cannot accept, as we cannot allow bloodshed to happen again."
"I'm very happy that yesterday evening, after long negotiations over several days -- which were very serious and could have failed -- we managed to reach an agreement to start a mission of OSCE observers, which will lay the ground to work on a proper mandate. I hope the first observers -- overall there should be 400 of them -- will arrive in Ukraine in the next few days. In the west, the east and the south of the country and there they will observe and report on the situation."
Yatsenyuk:
"The first issue is energy security. We need supplies of gas from member states of the EU to secure energy security for Ukraine."
Steinmeier:
"The referendum in Crimea last Sunday, the decision by the Russian Federation [to annex Crimea], and finally the integration of Crimea to the territory of the Russian Federation, are events that are in violation of international law and conjure up the danger of splitting Europe. Our experience and lessons from decades ago tell us that this is a situation we cannot accept, as we cannot allow bloodshed to happen again."
"I'm very happy that yesterday evening, after long negotiations over several days -- which were very serious and could have failed -- we managed to reach an agreement to start a mission of OSCE observers, which will lay the ground to work on a proper mandate. I hope the first observers -- overall there should be 400 of them -- will arrive in Ukraine in the next few days. In the west, the east and the south of the country and there they will observe and report on the situation."
Yatsenyuk:
"The first issue is energy security. We need supplies of gas from member states of the EU to secure energy security for Ukraine."
13:47
22.3.2014
BBC's Mark Lowen tweets from the standoff at Ukrainian air force base in Novofedorivka, which is apparently over:
Ukrainian officer tells me no more Ukrainians inside. Completely in hands of Russians. Close to tears. Tells me #Crimea always be Ukrainian
— Mark Lowen (@marklowen) March 22, 2014