• Crimean leader appeals to Putin for help with 'security and peace'
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[IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73297000/jpg/_73297923_021344808-1.jpg[/IMG] [I]A Kalashnikov[/I] [QUOTE]The new pro-Moscow leader of Ukraine's autonomous Crimea region has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for help to ensure peace. A Kremlin source said it would "not leave unnoticed" the request from Sergiy Aksyonov. US President Barack Obama warned Moscow against intervention after mysterious troop movements. Ukraine's interim Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, accused Russia of seeking to provoke an escalation. He was speaking at the first meeting of his cabinet, installed after the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych. The spectre of armed conflict in Crimea will be at the top of a long agenda, the BBC's Mark Lowen reports from the region. Heavily armed unidentified soldiers took up position outside the regional parliament in Crimea's capital, Simferopol, on Saturday. Another airfield in the region was reportedly seized overnight, in addition to two airports and communications centres on Friday. Ukraine's interim President, Olexander Turchynov, accused Russia of sending hundreds of soldiers and military aircraft to reinforce its Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea. Moscow says troop movements on the Crimean peninsula do not infringe international agreements and it denies involvement in the seizing of airports. Under the agreement governing the Black Sea Fleet, the Russians must coordinate all troop movements outside the fleet's base areas with the Ukrainian authorities beforehand. In the same vote, the parliament called a referendum on increasing the autonomy of Crimea, a region dominated by ethnic Russians. Mr Aksyonov's election has not been approved by the new authorities in Kiev, who traditionally appoint the prime minister of Crimea, in consultation with the regional parliament. "I appeal to the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to provide assistance in ensuring peace and tranquillity on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea," Mr Aksyonov said in a statement. He went on to announce that he was taking control of security in Crimea "on a temporary basis". "All commanders are to obey only my orders and instructions," Mr Aksyonov said. "I ask all those who refuse to do so to resign."[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26397323[/url]
An sovereign Crimea or a Crimean secession (and maybe joining with Russia) is possible at this point. If things escalate, this could even lead to a civil war with Russia supporting the Crimean faction due to them already having deemed the current government illegal for underrepresenting the mostly Russian Crimea. If northwestern Ukraine can stay united and calm, it will be hard for anyone to justify a war though. Russia is obviously pretty pissed with Ukraine and have also started to squeeze on them for their oil debts. Ukraine might have a shortage of oil if Russia decides to sanction them. edit: it's good to also note that Crimea was basically gifted to Ukraine by the Soviet Union making it originally Russian territory.
man, having seen shit tons of russia today being posted by that one guy, and the frankly [I]hilarious[/I] russia today front page concerning ukraine, the BBC looks like the paragon of fucking neutrality
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