18:34
27.2.2014
Joshua Keating in Slate looks at the possibility of a partitioned Ukraine:
"A Ukrainian split, either involving Crimea being absorbed into Russia or a larger swathe of territory becoming a Russian-supported semi-independent entity, is certainly looking more realistic as Russia turns up the heat on Ukraine’s fragile new government. But we shouldn’t kid ourselves into thinking it’s an easy solution."
19:19
27.2.2014
RFE/RL's Daisy Sindelar has a great rundown of the key players in Ukraine's new cabinet.
20:49
27.2.2014
Interesting story from our Ukraine Service indicating how Right Sector might be attempting to appear more moderate/palatable for Ukraine's new political establishment:
Dmytro Yarosh, head of Ukraine's Right Sector alliance of nationalist organizations, has met with the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine, Reuven El Din, to deny allegations that his group is xenophobic or anti-Semitic.
The Israeli Embassy on Thursday annouced the meeting, which took place on Wednesday.
A delegation of Russian Duma deputies traveled to Israel on February 25.
The following day, Knesset member Rina Frenkel appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to develop a plan to evacuate Jews from Ukraine.
She said "in light of recent events, [the Jewish] community [in Ukraine] is under a clear and present danger."
Although there have been some anti-Semitic incidents since protests broke out in Ukraine in November, Jewish leaders say there hasn't been a surge in anti-Semitism.
The Israeli Embassy on Thursday annouced the meeting, which took place on Wednesday.
A delegation of Russian Duma deputies traveled to Israel on February 25.
The following day, Knesset member Rina Frenkel appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to develop a plan to evacuate Jews from Ukraine.
She said "in light of recent events, [the Jewish] community [in Ukraine] is under a clear and present danger."
Although there have been some anti-Semitic incidents since protests broke out in Ukraine in November, Jewish leaders say there hasn't been a surge in anti-Semitism.
21:07
27.2.2014
From the wires. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he’s received assurances from Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Russia’s massive military exercises are not linked to the crisis in Ukraine.
Kerry said Lavrov affirmed President Vladimir Putin's statement that Russia will “respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Kerry said he urged Russia to join the United States and other countries to help stabilize Ukraine and not take any provocative actions.
Speaking Thursday at a Washington news conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Kerry said he had also spoken to Lavrov about the situation in Ukraine’s Crimea region, which has many pro-Russian residents and where tensions are high since the collapse of the government of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Russia says its military exercises involve some 150,000 troops.
Kerry said he urged Russia to join the United States and other countries to help stabilize Ukraine and not take any provocative actions.
Speaking Thursday at a Washington news conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Kerry said he had also spoken to Lavrov about the situation in Ukraine’s Crimea region, which has many pro-Russian residents and where tensions are high since the collapse of the government of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Russia says its military exercises involve some 150,000 troops.
07:54
28.2.2014
Witnesses say, those men with AKs who seized Simferopol airport speak Russian with thick Moscow accent
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) February 28, 2014
07:54
28.2.2014
#Kerry: #Lavrov told me #Russia had nothing to do with #Crimea's parliament being taken over
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) February 28, 2014
07:55
28.2.2014
Ukrainian interior minister Avakov says "invasion & occupation" under way in Crimea https://t.co/179J8LJrNN
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) February 28, 2014
08:21
28.2.2014
Sign reads: "The fascist monkeys shall not pass" RT @smirnova_welt: Checkpoint on the road to Sevastopol pic.twitter.com/nTXeNTDrPv #Crimea
— Patrick Jackson (@patrickgjackson) February 28, 2014
08:23
28.2.2014
...under new bill, region cud join Russia if allowed to by the state it previously belonged to. I.e. Yanukovych could give Crimea to Russia.
— Robert Coalson (@CoalsonR) February 28, 2014
08:24
28.2.2014
#Avakov on #Crimea: It's a straightforward provocation to cause bloodshed in sovereign country. It's outside Int Min's competence.
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) February 28, 2014