Live Blog: Ukraine In Crisis (Archive)

Two can play at that game! Read RFE's Claire Bigg on the tit-for-tat war of words between Russia and Moscow.

"It would be perfectly natural if Ukrainian became the second state language in Russia, or at least if it had special status," Yatsenyuk said. "We've also asked Russian authorities to open Ukrainian schools."

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has vowed to continue to push IMF-imposed austerity measures as Ukraine's "price of independence." In a Reuters interview, Yatsenyuk said the IMF pledge of some $14 billion-$18 billion in return for strict economic reforms by Kyiv would be a "tremendous step forward" for Ukraine. The Ukrainian parliament last week rejected the austerity measures -- which include large increases on the prices of energy for Ukrainians. Yatsenyuk said Ukraine will never recognize Russia's takeover of Crimea in exchange for good relations with Moscow. He described the Crimea seizure as Moscow's "international crime." Yatsenyuk said the occupation of Crimea is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's broader plan to exert greater control over former Soviet republics.

Turning Putin's notorious lament that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was" either "a major geopolitical disaster of the century" or "the greatest geopolitical disaster of the century" (depending on your translation), Yatsenyuk added that the biggest disaster of the 21st century would be "the resurrection of the Soviet Union."

Right Front leader and Ukrainian presidential candidate Dmytro Yarosh to give a press conference at 3:30 Kyiv time.

It's unclear whether he'll discuss this:

Russia's Interfax cites an unnamed source as saying Yarosh will soon be put on Interpol's international wanted list for calling on Chechen militia leader Doku Umarov to "activate extremist and terrorist activisites in Russia."

On the news that all McDonald's restaurants will be closed in Crimea:

Ukraine has announced plans to halt military equipment trading with Russia.

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema told reporters in Kyiv today that Ukraine cannot make military products for Russia that may later be used against his country. According to Yarema, the decision was made by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Many facilities in Ukraine which are producing military equipment and machinery export their products to Russia.

Yarema said that, in order to avoid losses for the Ukrainian economy caused by the decision, Ukraine is now seriously looking for other markets for the Ukrainian defense industry's products. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists in Moscow today that Ukraine must carry out "real" rather than "cosmetic" constitutional reforms and prove its independence from the West.

We had a terrific story called "Complex Ties: Russia's Armed Forces Depend On Ukraine's Military Industry" by our correspondent Charles Recknagel last month.

And here's an interview correspondent Farangis Najibullah did with Tomas Jermalavicius, a research fellow at the International Center for Defense Studies, on weapons sales and Russia.

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov says Moscow had nothing to do with sniper attacks in Kyiv:

"Crimes were committed on the Ukrainian territory, not in Russia, and we didn't have anything to do with them and just couldn't have had anything to do with them."

Breaking comments from Yatsenyuk:

-- "The biggest disaster of this century would be the resurrection of the Soviet Union."

-- Ukraine sticking to unpopular austerity measures "as the price of independence."

-- Ukraine will never recognize Crimean takeover in return for good relations with Russia.

-- It is difficult "under current Russian presence" to undo "crime" of seizing Crimea.

Ripples: RSF says crackdown on pro-Euromaidan demonstrations in Uzbekistan violates state constitution.