11:22
28.3.2014
Ukraine's parliament has set up a commission to probe the killing earlier this week of Oleksander Muzychko, the leader of the ultranationalist group Right Sector.
We profiled Muzychko here.
Muzychko played a key role in recent antigovernment demonstrations that led to the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych.
He was killed on the night of March 24-25 in the city of Rivne under unclear circumstances as police commandos attemped to detain him.
Muzychko was sought for organized-crime links, hooliganism, and threats to public officials.
On Thursday, hundreds of Right Sector supporters rallied outside the parliament building in Kyiv to demand that lawmakers investigate Muzychko's killing and consider the resignation of acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
He was killed on the night of March 24-25 in the city of Rivne under unclear circumstances as police commandos attemped to detain him.
Muzychko was sought for organized-crime links, hooliganism, and threats to public officials.
On Thursday, hundreds of Right Sector supporters rallied outside the parliament building in Kyiv to demand that lawmakers investigate Muzychko's killing and consider the resignation of acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
We profiled Muzychko here.
11:15
28.3.2014
How post-soviet states have responded to the referendum in Crimea. pic.twitter.com/fvv0oj684t
— Alex Nice (@AlexNicest) March 28, 2014
10:55
28.3.2014
Deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has resurfaced and called on Ukraine to hold a national referendum on "the status of every region that comprises Ukraine."
The Russian news agency ITAR-TASS said Friday it had received a written statement from Yanukovych calling for the referendum.
Yanukovych fled Ukraine in February and has been in Russia since then. Moscow considers him the legitimate head of the country.
Yanukovych said the Ukrainian government's plan to hold a presidential election in May could destabilize the country and only a national referendum can preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yanukovych called the current authorities in Ukraine unconstitutional and said the situation amounts to "anarchy."
He also asked the Party of Regions to remove him as honorary chairman and to cancel his membership in the party.
Yanukovych fled Ukraine in February and has been in Russia since then. Moscow considers him the legitimate head of the country.
Yanukovych said the Ukrainian government's plan to hold a presidential election in May could destabilize the country and only a national referendum can preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yanukovych called the current authorities in Ukraine unconstitutional and said the situation amounts to "anarchy."
He also asked the Party of Regions to remove him as honorary chairman and to cancel his membership in the party.
10:45
28.3.2014
Young Right sector members. pic.twitter.com/rLJ2VJ8Qlo
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 28, 2014
10:45
28.3.2014
Right Sector protest demanding #Ukraine's top police official step down, outside parliament in Kiev pic.twitter.com/ScEu6Mlzh9
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) March 28, 2014
09:50
28.3.2014
A joke published in "Ostrov" (The Island), a pro-Ukrainian news site in the largely pro-Russian city of Donetsk:
-- Tell me, Monya, was there a referendum in Crimea?
-- There was.
-- And what was the result?
-- 97 percent supported reunification with Russia.
-- And why did this 97 percent want to reunify with Russia so much?
-- Because they were being harrassed by the remaining 3 percent.
-- What are you talking about?
-- What, you doubt it? Don't. After all, in Russia there are also a lot of Russians, and all of their problems there are because of the Jews.
-- Tell me, Monya, was there a referendum in Crimea?
-- There was.
-- And what was the result?
-- 97 percent supported reunification with Russia.
-- And why did this 97 percent want to reunify with Russia so much?
-- Because they were being harrassed by the remaining 3 percent.
-- What are you talking about?
-- What, you doubt it? Don't. After all, in Russia there are also a lot of Russians, and all of their problems there are because of the Jews.
09:39
28.3.2014
Welcome to #Kyiv airport. Armed #military marched up to our plane. We wait for clearance #Ukraine @Ruptly pic.twitter.com/pjoApCexJz
— denise reese (@denice_ruptly) March 28, 2014
09:05
28.3.2014
08:59
28.3.2014
Our news desk has a longer piece on the fears of the Moldovan prime minister that Russia's annexation of Crimea "might raise expectations" in the smoldering separatist republic of Transdniester.
08:55
28.3.2014
The UN last night passed a resolution on the "territorial integrity of Ukraine," declaring Crimea's recent secession vote invalid. Now Russia has condemned it.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has issued a statement condemning the adoption of a resolution "On the Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" by the United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry posted the statement Friday, saying that the March 27 resolution was "counterproductive" and "will only complicate efforts to regulate the internal political crisis in Ukraine."
The statement criticized the "deep interference of a number of Western countries in Ukraine's affairs," which it said has led to a breakdown of the rule of law and massive human rights violations.
The statement said the UN resolution -- which passed by a vote of 100 to 11, with 58 abstentions -- was an attempt by the West to pass blame for the situation onto Russia.
The General Assembly resolution is nonbinding, but is considered a reflection of world opinion.
The ministry posted the statement Friday, saying that the March 27 resolution was "counterproductive" and "will only complicate efforts to regulate the internal political crisis in Ukraine."
The statement criticized the "deep interference of a number of Western countries in Ukraine's affairs," which it said has led to a breakdown of the rule of law and massive human rights violations.
The statement said the UN resolution -- which passed by a vote of 100 to 11, with 58 abstentions -- was an attempt by the West to pass blame for the situation onto Russia.
The General Assembly resolution is nonbinding, but is considered a reflection of world opinion.