14:58
29.3.2014
RT's report on Crimea's Prosecutor-General Natalya Poklonskaya:
14:55
29.3.2014
Yuliya Timoshenko speaking at her party's rally in Sofievska Ploshcha earlier. Crowd was not overly animated. pic.twitter.com/cNayTPn2Uq
— Tim White (@TWMCLtd) March 29, 2014
14:54
29.3.2014
Known as secessionist-in-chief,@mDobkin has been elected as the presidential candidate from ex-ruling @PartyOfRegions pic.twitter.com/SAyyVXHaZN
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) March 29, 2014
14:53
29.3.2014
Dobkin, pres candidate from ex-ruling @PartyOfRegions back in Jan posing w Berkut-riot-police accused of mass murders pic.twitter.com/DtsEwf2VOA
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) March 29, 2014
14:51
29.3.2014
From our news desk. More on the Crimean Tatars pushing for autonomy.
The leader of Crimean Tatar community says he wants autonomy for the peninsula's 300,000-strong indigenous Muslim minority.
Refat Chubarov was addressing hundreds of delegates gathered in Bakhchisaray Saturday to decide whether to hold a referendum among Crimean Tatars to determine their future.
Chubarov asked the delegates to approve “the start of political and legal procedures aimed at creating ethnic and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatars of their historic territory of Crimea."
Russia annexed Crimea earlier this month, after residents of peninsula voted overwhelmingly to split from Ukraine following the ousting in February of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych.
Crimean Tatars largely boycotted the vote, which the West said was illegitimate.
Refat Chubarov was addressing hundreds of delegates gathered in Bakhchisaray Saturday to decide whether to hold a referendum among Crimean Tatars to determine their future.
Chubarov asked the delegates to approve “the start of political and legal procedures aimed at creating ethnic and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatars of their historic territory of Crimea."
Russia annexed Crimea earlier this month, after residents of peninsula voted overwhelmingly to split from Ukraine following the ousting in February of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych.
Crimean Tatars largely boycotted the vote, which the West said was illegitimate.
14:42
29.3.2014
And the presidential field takes shape:
Fatherland Party - Yulia Tymoshenko
Svoboda Party - Oleh Tyahnybok
Party of Regions - Mikhail Dobkin
UDAR - Petro Poroshenko
Fatherland Party - Yulia Tymoshenko
Svoboda Party - Oleh Tyahnybok
Party of Regions - Mikhail Dobkin
UDAR - Petro Poroshenko
Кандидаты в Президенты Украины: Батьківщина - Тимошенко Свобода - Тягнибок Партия регионов - Добкин Удар - Порошенко
— Константин Рыков (@rykov) March 29, 2014
14:37
29.3.2014
Die Welt reports that some top German executives are criticizing Western governments for allowing tensions to rise with Russia.
Via Reuters:
Via Reuters:
FRANKFURT, March 29 (Reuters) - Several top German executives have criticised U.S. and European action against Russia after the latter's annexation of the Crimea region triggered the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War, Die Welt newspaper reported on Saturday.
Herbert Hainer, chief executive of sporting goods maker Adidas, told the German newspaper he believed the West waited too long to start talks with President Vladimir Putin when tensions between Russia and Ukraine rose.
"We should ask ourselves if someone like Putin shouldn't have been part of the process much earlier, instead of holding off with talks until it's too late," he said.
Adidas has a high exposure to the Russian market, where it operates over 1,000 stores. Its share price has taken a hit, falling 15 percent since the start of the year, at least partly on concern over the Crimea crisis.
Herbert Hainer, chief executive of sporting goods maker Adidas, told the German newspaper he believed the West waited too long to start talks with President Vladimir Putin when tensions between Russia and Ukraine rose.
"We should ask ourselves if someone like Putin shouldn't have been part of the process much earlier, instead of holding off with talks until it's too late," he said.
Adidas has a high exposure to the Russian market, where it operates over 1,000 stores. Its share price has taken a hit, falling 15 percent since the start of the year, at least partly on concern over the Crimea crisis.
14:35
29.3.2014
AP is reporting that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is staying in Europe to deal with the Ukraine crisis and will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Paris on Monday:
SHANNON, Ireland (AP) — Halfway home from Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has abruptly changed course and will stay in Europe for talks on Ukraine.
Flying from Riyadh to Shannon, Ireland, for a refueling stop on Saturday, Kerry decided to turn his plane around and will now travel to Paris for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) likely on Monday. Kerry had already been due to return to Europe on Tuesday for a meeting with NATO foreign ministers.
Kerry was in Riyadh, as well as Rome and The Hague, with President Barack Obama this week, but was traveling on his own plane. Kerry had made a side trip to Jordan to work on salvaging foundering Mideast peace talks while Obama visited Brussels.
Flying from Riyadh to Shannon, Ireland, for a refueling stop on Saturday, Kerry decided to turn his plane around and will now travel to Paris for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) likely on Monday. Kerry had already been due to return to Europe on Tuesday for a meeting with NATO foreign ministers.
Kerry was in Riyadh, as well as Rome and The Hague, with President Barack Obama this week, but was traveling on his own plane. Kerry had made a side trip to Jordan to work on salvaging foundering Mideast peace talks while Obama visited Brussels.
14:03
29.3.2014
Lots happening on a lot of political fronts today. Just to recap:
With major parties holding their conventions today, the field takes shape for the presidential election in May. Petro Poroshenko, who is the frontrunner in the polls, is in and he seems to have cut a deal with Vitaly Klitschko, who is is out and plans to run for mayor of Kyiv. Yulia Tymoshenko is in, and is fashioning herself as an anti-oligarch and a united who has no problem speaking Russian.
In the former ruling Party of Regions, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych is out, as is former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.
And in Crimea, the Tatars are talking autonomy.
Oh, and by the way, Darth Vader is also interested in running for president.
With major parties holding their conventions today, the field takes shape for the presidential election in May. Petro Poroshenko, who is the frontrunner in the polls, is in and he seems to have cut a deal with Vitaly Klitschko, who is is out and plans to run for mayor of Kyiv. Yulia Tymoshenko is in, and is fashioning herself as an anti-oligarch and a united who has no problem speaking Russian.
In the former ruling Party of Regions, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych is out, as is former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.
And in Crimea, the Tatars are talking autonomy.
Oh, and by the way, Darth Vader is also interested in running for president.
13:49
29.3.2014
Speaking on March 27, political analyst Taras Kuzio warns that Petro Poroshenko has been a political chameleon for most of his career: