19:18
16.3.2014
Polls have reportedly closed in Crimea.
19:16
16.3.2014
Russia's RIA news agency has been quoted as reporting that exit polls suggest 93 percent of votes in the Crimean referendum -- which Kyiv and the West reject as illegitimate -- favored joining the Russian Federation.
19:13
16.3.2014
Reuters quotes the White House in Washington as saying that "we are long past the days" when the world would "stand quietly by while one country forcibly seizes the territory of another."
It also says that Russia will face "increasing costs" for its military intervention and alleged violation of international law in Ukraine.
It also says that Russia will face "increasing costs" for its military intervention and alleged violation of international law in Ukraine.
18:46
16.3.2014
"Russian Spring?"
Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, has told Kanal 5 television that the reported truce between Ukraine and Russia in Crimea came after the failure of large-scale, anti-Ukrainian actions codenamed "Russian Spring".
Parubiy tells the pro-Kyiv channel that the operation was planned to be staged in eight Ukrainian regions, where people's governors were to be named and regional administrations seized.
"We can say today that their plan has failed," Parubiy said in live telephone comments aired by Kanal 5. He notes that events in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv regions were large, but gathered fewer people than planned by "the separatists and the outside forces of the Kremlin spin doctors."
"Therefore, we can now say that they have a huge problem because their plans of entering Ukraine are failing," Parubiy said. " It is therefore obvious that the statement they made today about the so-called truce is evidence that the Kremlin groups which are working on technologies for Ukraine are fairly confused and have no idea what course of action to take."
Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, has told Kanal 5 television that the reported truce between Ukraine and Russia in Crimea came after the failure of large-scale, anti-Ukrainian actions codenamed "Russian Spring".
Parubiy tells the pro-Kyiv channel that the operation was planned to be staged in eight Ukrainian regions, where people's governors were to be named and regional administrations seized.
'#Russian Spring' revolts in 8 Eastern #Ukraine oblasts plannd by #Russia -NatlSecurity chief Parubiy #RussiaInvasion pic.twitter.com/nvh6SyM5Qo
â Ukrainian Updates (@Ukroblogger) March 16, 2014
"We can say today that their plan has failed," Parubiy said in live telephone comments aired by Kanal 5. He notes that events in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv regions were large, but gathered fewer people than planned by "the separatists and the outside forces of the Kremlin spin doctors."
"Therefore, we can now say that they have a huge problem because their plans of entering Ukraine are failing," Parubiy said. " It is therefore obvious that the statement they made today about the so-called truce is evidence that the Kremlin groups which are working on technologies for Ukraine are fairly confused and have no idea what course of action to take."
18:45
16.3.2014
Does anyone else see Ukrainian flag inside Russian here? @Paralympic closing ceremony: http://t.co/JF8XnArOAx
â Russian Police Watch (@RusPoliceWatch) March 16, 2014
18:26
16.3.2014
Interfax reports that overall voter turnout in the Crimean referendum reached 75.9% by 6 p.m. local time.
The Russian wire agency cites referendum Commission Chairman Mikhail Malyshev as saying turnout was 83.5% in Sevastopol, 73.41 in Crimea not including Sevastopol, and that 1.379 million voters cast their ballots two hours before polls close at 8 p.m.
Results are expected to be announced shortly after polling stations close.
The Russian wire agency cites referendum Commission Chairman Mikhail Malyshev as saying turnout was 83.5% in Sevastopol, 73.41 in Crimea not including Sevastopol, and that 1.379 million voters cast their ballots two hours before polls close at 8 p.m.
Results are expected to be announced shortly after polling stations close.
18:13
16.3.2014
RFE/RL Ukrainian Service video of thousands of pro-Moscow protesters in Donetsk chanting "Russia!" and breaking through a police line to storm the regional prosecutor's office before raising a Russian flag from an upper floor of the building. They were demanding the release of separatist leader Pavel Gubarev.
18:09
16.3.2014
Making the rounds on YouTube today: "Good-bye Ukraine"
17:59
16.3.2014
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk speaking at a cabinet meeting in Kyiv on March 16, as quoted by Reuters:
"All cheerleaders of separatism and division who now, shielded by Russian soldiers, are attempting to destroy Ukrainian independence, [should know that] we will find them all -- regardless if it takes a year or two years -- we will bring them to justice and we will try them at the Ukrainian and international courts. The earth will burn under their feet."
"Together with our Western partners we will do everything possible to make sure that everyone who today feels protected enough by Russian guns to do whatever they please knows that they will have to answer for separatism and attempts to destroy the constitutional order. No place in the world will be safe enough for them to disregard the law. And Russia will not save them."
"Considering the current threat on Ukrainian borders and the military aggression by the Russian Federation we must make a decision today about immediate set up of a reserve fund designating it to finance mobilization, modernization, and heightening the state of military readiness of interior troops, Defense Ministry, and state border guards."
"Together with our Western partners we will do everything possible to make sure that everyone who today feels protected enough by Russian guns to do whatever they please knows that they will have to answer for separatism and attempts to destroy the constitutional order. No place in the world will be safe enough for them to disregard the law. And Russia will not save them."
"Considering the current threat on Ukrainian borders and the military aggression by the Russian Federation we must make a decision today about immediate set up of a reserve fund designating it to finance mobilization, modernization, and heightening the state of military readiness of interior troops, Defense Ministry, and state border guards."
17:43
16.3.2014
From agencies Reuters, AFP, and dpa (paraphrased):
The United States and the European Union have reiterated they will not recognize the results of Crimea's referendum on seceding from Ukraine. A U.S. official said that Secretary of State John Kerry, in a telephone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on March 16, urged Moscow to back a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. In Brussels, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in a joint statement reiterated the 28-nation bloc considers the referendum illegal. They said EU foreign ministers will decide on possible measures in response on March 17.