Ukraine calls full army mobilisation - Ukraine crisis Live

Ukraine calls full army mobilisation

People hold Russian flags as they guard a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in Simferopol

A woman with child poses for a picture in front of an armoured personnel carrier (APC) in the Crimean port city of Feodosiya

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Ukraine announces a full military mobilisation in response to Russia's build-up in Crimea, where Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are facing off.

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Less than a minute ago France is suspending participation in preparatory meetings ahead of the G8 summit in Sochi, a source in President Francois Hollande's office tells Reuters. The nation joins Br…

Ukraine crisis: Special report

2 March 2014 Last updated at 14:43 GMT

Ukraine orders full military mobilisation over Russia moves

Ukrainian soldiers guard a gate of an infantry base in Perevalnoe

Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded by Russian troops at Perevalnoe, one of several stand-offs on the peninsula

Ukraine crisis

Ukraine has ordered a full military mobilisation in response to Russia's build-up of its forces in Crimea.

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Ukraine was "on the brink of disaster".
In Crimea, Ukrainian soldiers faced off with Russian soldiers surrounding their bases while the Russian army is said to be digging trenches on the border with mainland Ukraine.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Russia could be ejected from the Group of Eight developed nations.

“Start Quote

You just don't in the 21st Century behave in 19th Century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext”

John Kerry US secretary of state

Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said, was "not going to have a Sochi G8, he may not even remain in the G8 if this continues," referring to a planned summit in Russia in June.

"He may find himself with asset freezes, on Russian business. American business may pull back, there may be a further tumble of the rouble.
"You just don't in the 21st Century behave in 19th Century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext," Mr Kerry told the CBS program Face the Nation.

“Start Quote

The facts on the ground are such that Russia, to a large extent, is already in control there ”

Jonathan Marcus BBC diplomatic correspondent

Moscow's Ukraine gamble

The UK has joined the US, France and Canada in suspending preparations for the Sochi summit.

Nato is conducting emergency talks, saying Russia's actions threaten "peace and security in Europe".
US President Barack Obama called Russian troop deployments a "violation of Ukrainian sovereignty".
Russian soldiers continue to occupy key sites on the Crimean peninsula, including airports and communications hubs, although there has been no actual violence.
In Moscow, police detained dozens of people at anti-war rallies outside the Russian defence ministry and at other spots in the city centre.
Military build-up Ukrainian national security officials announced several other measures on Sunday:

At the scene

Oleg Boldyrev BBC Russian, Feodosia

Crowds of excited pro-Russian Crimeans have gathered near the gates of the marines' base in Feodosia. A deadline demanding the marines pledge loyalty to the new government in Crimea has passed. Despite threats to attack the base, local Cossacks, who act as law and order here, continue to stand in a chain near the gates. Behind the gates I could see freshly-made dugouts, but no-one is inside them at the moment. A couple of marines in sand-coloured flak jackets are manning the gates from the inside.
The street leading to the base is blocked by two armoured personnel carriers, with another closer to the gates. When asked whose APCs and soldiers they were, a Cossack said "Russians", but he didn't know whether they came from Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol or Russia. From time to time the loudspeaker on a van near to the entrance of the base calls on the marines to recognise the new pro-Russian government in Crimea, and not to act upon "criminal orders from Kiev".
Any filming activity in the crowds is risky - we saw cameramen and photographers being harassed. One cameraman had to leave the approach to the base and another was led away by a policeman.

The armed forces would to be put on "full combat readiness"
Reserves to be mobilised and trained
Foreign minister to seek help from US and UK leaders in guaranteeing its security
Emergency headquarters to be set up
Security to be boosted at key sites, including nuclear plants
Airspace to be closed to all non-civilian aircraft

Meanwhile, Ukraine withdrew coast guard vessels from two ports in Crimea and moved them to other bases in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

One Ukrainian army base was surrounded by Russian troops in Perevalnoe, south of the Crimean regional capital Simferopol, with another base in Sevastopol being blockaded by a pro-Russian "self-defence unit".
In the eastern port city of Feodosia, a group of Ukrainian marines were also blockaded into their base.
Armed men surrounded the base demanding that the garrison pledge loyalty to the region's new pro-Russian authorities.
Around 100 marines are thought to be inside the base.
In the north of Crimea, at Armyansk on the Isthmus of Perekop, the BBC saw what appeared to be Russian soldiers digging trenches. The isthmus is strategically vital as it joins Crimea to the rest of Ukraine.
Russian ground troops have been active in Crimea - home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet - for the past few days.
On Saturday the newly elected pro-Moscow leader of Crimea, Sergiy Aksyonov, appealed to Mr Putin for help to ensure peace on the peninsula.
The interim government in Kiev does not recognise Mr Aksyonov and his government, and signed a decree on Saturday that their election at an emergency session of the regional parliament this week was illegal.

Soldiers apparently digging trenches at Armyansk, northern Crimea

Russian soldiers are apparently digging trenches on the strip of land joining Crimea to mainland Ukraine

A Russian convoy moves from Sevastopol to Simferopol in the Crimea

This Russian convoy was moving from Sevastopol to Simferopol on Sunday

Pro-Russian militants station themselves behind a row of shields near a local government building

Many ethnic Russians in Crimea have held pro-Russian demonstrations in recent days

A wounded man touches his forehead after clashes between Pro-Russia activists and Maidan supporter

Kharkiv is one of several cities that has seen clashes between pro- and anti-Russian protesters in recent days

People applaud as the European Union flag is held up by a protester in Kiev

Meanwhile pro-EU protesters rallied once again in the capital Kiev

Police arrest a pro-Ukraine protester near the Kremlin in Moscow, 2 March

"Ukrainians - I am ashamed to be a Russian!" - placard of protester arrested in Moscow

Russian 'violation' Late on Saturday, Mr Obama held a 90-minute telephone conversation with Mr Putin and urged him to pull forces back to bases in Crimea.

President Obama had a lengthy telephone call with President Putin, as Simon Clemison reports

Mr Putin said Moscow reserved the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine.
President Putin submitted his request for troops to the Russian parliament on Saturday "in connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to the lives of Russian citizens", the Kremlin said.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says his country is "on the brink of disaster"

Mr Obama, the White House said, told Mr Putin that the appropriate way to address any concerns "is peacefully through direct engagement" with the Ukrainian government and international mediating bodies.
He told Mr Putin his actions were a "breach of international law, including Russia's obligations under the UN Charter, and of its 1997 military basing agreement with Ukraine", a statement added.
The Kremlin said that in his phone call with Mr Obama, President Putin "underlined that there are real threats to the life and health of Russian citizens and compatriots on Ukrainian territory".

Are you in Ukraine or in the Crimean region? What is your reaction to this news of Russian troop deployment? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ukraine' in the subject heading and including your contact details.

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Ukraine army on alert after Russia approves troops

Key Points

Ukraine puts its army on full combat alert after Russia approves the deployment of its troops
US Secretary of State John Kerry warns that Russia faces expulsion from the Group of Eight developed nations
Nato has held an emergency meeting at 12:00 GMT to discuss the escalating conflict in Crimea
The Ukrainian parliament is to meet in emergency session
There are stand-offs between Ukrainian armed forces and Russian soldiers who have surrounded Ukrainian bases
All times GMT

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15:14: Chris Weafer Moscow-based investment expert

says the escalating crisis in Ukraine and threats from the West pose little threat to Russia's economy. He explains that 80% of the country's exports are commodities, and that the bulk of its imports are sourced from the EU.
"The trade and investment relationship with the US is less important and major US corporations, such as Boeing or ExxonMobil, who have been active in Russia for many years have historically sidestepped political disputes," he says.
15:01:

France is suspending participation in preparatory meetings ahead of the G8 summit in Sochi, a source in President Francois Hollande's office tells Reuters. The nation joins Britain, the US and Canada in pulling out of the talks.
14:59:

This photo purportedly shows Russian soldiers digging trenches on the strip of land joining Crimea to mainland Ukraine.
14:50:

The Ukrainian coast guard tells Reuters that it has withdrawn from two ports in Crimea and moved its vessels to other Black Sea bases. Vessels from the Crimean ports of Kerch and Sevastopol have been moved to Odessa and Mariupol, it said. Earlier the Ukrainian border guard announced all frontiers were stable apart from Crimea's.
14:48:

There are reports that Russia's leading broadcaster, Channel One, has cancelled its coverage of tonight's Oscars awards ceremony.
Christopher Jeffery

emails: Clearly Putin wasn't listening the the speech made by the head of the IOC, perhaps now is the time for Olympic medalists to return their medals to the Russians?
Mark Riddell in St Albans, England

emails: My wife is Ukrainian and we regularly visit her family in the west of Ukraine. You would be hard pressed to meet more peaceful and welcoming people. They don't want confrontation with Russia, they just want to govern themselves without Putin's interference. It's absolute nonsense to say that the pro-Russian minority are in danger.
Thousands of people have rallied in Ukrainian cities to condemn what they see as Russia's "military aggression" in Crimea. Demonstrations were held in Kirovohrad, Vinnytsya, Cherkasy, Ternopil and Sumy, UNIAN news agency reports. In Kherson, two rival rallies took place.
14:36:

British Foreign Secretary William Hague is on his way to Ukraine's capital Kiev for talks with the new government there.
14:35:

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called an emergency meeting in Vienna later this afternoon to discuss the situation in Ukraine. The body is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organisation. Representatives from 57 member states are expected to attend.
14:35:

Pope Francis has appealed to all sides to work together and find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

Addressing the crowds in St Peter's Square in Rome, Pope Francis said: "I ask you to keep praying for Ukraine, which is living through a very delicate situation, while I hope that all the different parts of the country work together to overcome misunderstandings and together work towards building a future for the country."
14:27:

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Yuriy Sergeyev, says Ukraine is preparing to defend itself against Russia and will ask other countries for military aid if Russian activity expands.
Kevin Bishop BBC News, Sevastopol

The fourth navy ship we've seen heading towards dock in Sevastopol in the last hour. #Crimea
14:25:

Mr Kerry warned Russia could lose its place in the G8 over its deployment of troops in Ukraine.
"[Vladimir Putin] may find himself with asset freezes, on Russian business, American business may pull back, there may be a further tumble of the ruble," the US Secretary of State said.
14:17:

More from US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has just appeared on the CBS programme Face the Nation. He says Russia has committed an "incredible act of aggression" in Ukraine, and threatened "very serious repercussions" from the United States and other countries, including sanctions.
14:16:

The Telegraph has published this article on Russia's version of the Hell's Angels - the Night Wolves. They are strong Putin supporters and are reported to have a heavy presence now in Crimea.
14:15:

The events leading to today's crisis in Ukraine can be traced all the way back to 1991, the year the country declared independence from the USSR. Learn more thanks to our handy timeline.
14:11:

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Russia is behaving "in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext".
14:08:

More than 1,500 veterans of the Soviet Union's military campaign in Afghanistan (1979-89) have arrived in Crimea from Russia, the Russian Interfax news agency reports. Their leader, Frants Klintsevich, told the agency that they are there to offer "friendly and moral support" to activists in Crimea - via BBC Monitoring.
14:01: Ben Judah Russia analyst

tweets: "A Ukraine war won't pose a threat to Putin from Western sanctions. A Ukraine war will pose a threat to Putin by de-stablising the elite.
14:00:

Ukrainian border guards tell Reuters that the situation is stable on all borders except for Crimea.
14:00: Julia Ioffe Senior editor, The New Republic

tweets: Czech Republic recalls its ambassador to #Russia for what it calls "Prague Spring in the #Crimea." Damn. http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/2/7017082/ …
13:57:

The BBC's Richard Galpin is in Moscow and watching how Russians are reacting to developments. He's just seen thousands of pro-government demonstrators marching through the city.
13:56: Will Vernon, BBC News, Sevastopol

has just tweeted a photo of a gunman on a roof near the navy base in Sevastopol

"The Ukrainian Navy HQ in #Sevastopol - nervous-looking troops stay in base which is surrounded by various armed men" he says.
13:45: Christian Fraser, BBC News, Sevastopol

has just tweeted: another photo of a Russian naval ship in Sevastopol.

"Black Sea Fleet an ever present in Sevastopol" he says.
13:46: Nick Bryant BBC News, at the UN

tweets: Russia argued for weeks at #UN against aid convoys entering #Syria because it violated sovereignty. Crimea with Russian troops? No problem
13:46: Daniel Sandford, BBC News, Sevastopol

tweets: Meanwhile the Sochi 2014 Paralympics organisers carry on as if nothing has happened
13:45: Philip Rose in Brighton, England

emails: Crisis in Crimea? Russian Imperialism? Replace 'Ottoman Empire' with maybe the European Community or the USA, then haven't we seen this all before? I suggest we send in the Light Brigade.
13:44:

Why is Crimea so dangerous? It's complicated: read the BBC news website's guide here.
13:43: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News, Crimea

tweets: Russian soldiers I've seen in #Crimea seem very disciplined, not aggressive but well armed and firmly holding positions at Ukrainian bases
13:43:

More from UK Foreign Secretary William Hague on the UK's pullout from preparatory G8 talks: "The sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine has been violated and this cannot be the way to conduct international affairs. And so in addition to calling yesterday's emergency meeting of the UN security council, the United Kingdom will join other G8 countries this week in suspending our cooperation under the G8 which Russia chairs."

The US and Canada have already said they will not take part in the meetings, and earlier today France called for them to suspended.
Mike Alder in Bath

emails: How can using the native language of some of the people be a rationale for invading a country. Following that logic maybe Russia will target Chelsea or Knightsbridge next!
13:37:

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accuses the Russian army of carrying out "acts of provocation" in Crimea in order to justify its presence there, but says the Ukrainian military have not responded and are still at their bases, according to the Ukrainska Pravda website.
13:30: Robert, Stockholm, Sweden

emails: I am a Bosnian that fled my own country during the war in Bosnia [1992-95]. This is exactly the same scenario that happened in Bosnia and Croatia. Except in Bosnia and Croatia it was Serbs backed by Serbia and Russia who expressed "fears of safety" and Russia intervened. The West also "warned" and "protested" and also "strongly objected" the war in Bosnia, but were scared that Russians might jump in if USA and EU step in and stop Serbia. They never did anything, hundreds of thousands fled and died in largest genocide after WWII. They will do nothing yet again.
13:29: Christian Fraser, BBC News, Sevastopol

tweets: Russian naval ship from the Black Sea Fleet now in sight of the Sevastopol promenade. And in our live shot - handy!

Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based in Sevastopol.
Andrew Stevens in Nottingham

emails: My wife is Ukrainian and my in-laws live in the South of Ukraine. I have recently visited both Ukraine and Moscow. Let me tell everyone who is reading these feeds, there is absolutely no threat to Russian nationals, the Ukrainian people want to build their country and have hope for the future, nothing more. My brother-in-law is telling me that Russia is organising the demonstrations.
13:21:

Britain pulls out of preparatory talks due to be held in the coming days for the G8 summit in Sochi because of Russia's decision to authorise military action in Ukraine, Foreign Office officials tell the Press Association.
13:21: Mike in Gwynedd ,Wales

emails: Surely the Paralympics can't go ahead in this atmosphere?
13:18: Richard Galpin, BBC News, Moscow

tweets: Anti-war protestor in #Moscow #Russia: "I am ashamed at what's happening. We have to show Ukrainians not all Russians support views of #Putin"
Mark Lowen BBC News, Crimea

tweets: Russian organisation head in #Sevastopol tells me Moscow must intervene because of "genocide" vs Russians in Kiev. "We've prevented it here"
13:15:

Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, says his company, SCM, "will do all it can to preserve Ukraine's unity".

In a statement published on the company's website, Mr Akhmetov also warns that "Ukraine's future is under threat" and urges a peaceful solution to the crisis. Mr Akhmetov is a former key ally of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych.
Damian McElroy Telegraph correspondent in Kiev

tweets this picture from the anti-Russian protest in Kiev: A bagpiper to add to the mix in Maidan #Ukraine #Crimea Lots going on. General revival of the mood of defiance
13:02:

Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia has told the BBC World Service Newshour programme that he's been trying to talk to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, for three days, but he never called back. Mr Deshchytsia says it is up to the West now to force Russia to back down.
12:59:

The BBC's Eleanor Montague, who is at the stand-off at the Crimean military base of Perevalnoe, has sent this photo of Ukrainian troops who locked themselves in after Russian troops surrounded the base.
12:58: Andy in Edinburgh

emails: My wife is from Donetsk and her family are still there. Generations of their family are from rural Ukraine but they also feel close to Russian culture, with a shared religion, language and history. They want Ukraine to stay together but one of the first actions of the new unelected Ukrainian leaders was to revoke the official status of Russian language. This disregard for a large proportion of citizens showed no desire to help build a united Ukraine. Many in the east remember western Ukrainian collaboration with the Nazis in WWII and are worried to see the far right gaining leadership positions again in Kiev.
12:51: Olga, London

emails: I am amazed that some of the people writing on here hold a view that this is democracy in action. Beggars belief. If Crimea wants to have a referendum, that is one thing, but invading a foreign country with a military force is something else altogether. Please, please let's not mix these two points.
12:50: Boris Sergeev in Novosibirsk, Russia

emails: I'm a Russian, live in the centre of Russia - Siberia. No idea why Putin did this, this must be some mistake. We, the middle class of Russia, don't want any war, we don't want any imperial ambitions to be established. We want a decent life for us and our children and good relations with the whole world and with our neighbours. But even if he made this mistake, Putin has never retreated and he never said he was wrong. And this is what scares me most.
Myroslava Petsa Correspondent at Ukraine's 5 Channel TV

tweets: Husband says he packed his backpack already, ready to go to military enlistment office. In case of war he'll be an interpreter
12:46:

BBC correspondents have seen what appear to be Russian troops digging trenches on Crimea's border.
12:45:

"No-one in Crimea obeys Kiev," the speaker of the Crimean parliament Vladimir Konstantinov tells a news conference. He says all the local security services are now under the control of an emergency HQ formed by the new head of the Crimean government, pro-Russian activist Sergiy Aksyonov.
David M Herszenhorn Moscow correspondent for the New York Times

tweets this picture: Family posing w/ Russian soldiers Simferopol airport. Why? "Because you don't see this everyday," Roman, dad, said.
12:35:

These anti-Russian protesters in Kiev were applauding as a man walked through the large crowd with a European Union flag.
12:34: Lee Knight in Melbourne, Australia

emails: I'm married to a Ukrainian and as a friend of Ukraine. I am horrified by events in Ukraine and hope the world will work to stop this war and stop Putin's naked aggression and bullying tactics reminiscent of Hitler's tactics.
12:21:

Here is that statement from Nato's secretary general calling on Russia to de-escalate tensions.
12:18:

Andrey Illarionov, a former advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, says Ukraine is facing a real prospect of full-out war and "fratricide" at the hands of the Russian government, and should seal its borders with Russia.
"The current operation is aimed at immersing Ukraine in civil war, turning Ukraine into a territory of chaos, collapse and catastrophe in which brother would turn on brother," the Washington-based economist told Ukrainian media.
Harry in Watford, UK

emails: This is not a war, this is democracy. The wishes of Crimean people need to be respected. If they vote in favour of rejoining Russia, then that is their decision. Western interference is not helping. Lives are at risk, that is the main priority. Russia is only thinking of the people, nothing else.
Myroslava Petsa Correspondent at Ukraine's 5 Channel TV

tweets: Int Minister #Avakov denies reports of mass resignations within Ukrainian troops based in #Crimea, says not a single officer resigned
12:15:

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls the escalation of tensions "extremely dangerous" and says it is urgently necessary for those responsible not to take further steps that could only be seen as "provocation", the Reuters news agency reports.
Max Seddon BuzzFeed

is at the stand-off at the Ukrainian naval base in Perevalnoe, in Crimea, which is surrounded by Russian troops. He tweets: "I feel like I know everyone here who doesn't have a machine gun".
12:06:
To recap, Ukraine has ordered a full military mobilisation in response to Russia sending more troops to Crimea.
Other measures announced by Ukraine on Sunday include:
- Reserves to be mobilised and trained
- Emergency headquarters to be set up
- Increased security at key sites, including nuclear plants
Mark Lowen BBC News, Sevastapol

tweets: Then these guys arrived: professional-looking, heavily-armed soldiers as back-up. Prised open door & left #Sevastapol
Mark Lowen BBC News, Sevastapol

tweets: Self-defence unit blockading naval hq in #Sevastapol. Say they won't move. We saw men on roof of building behind
11:58: Marcela in Bucharest, Romania

emails: This is most important moment in Europe history. It has to stand up against aggression coming from Russia which wants to break the rise of human values. It is a big lie that Russia protects its citizens. The vast majority of Russian people from Ukraine are just happier living in peace in the country. It is their life who is going to be disrupt now.
11:55:

One of the central Russian complaints about the Maidan protests in Ukraine was the far-right involvement, says the BBC's Jack Garland. The BBC's Newsnight programme has produced this analysis: watch it on our YouTube channel here.
Sam Stoner in Indiana, US

tweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay I live in the United States, but even I fear the implications of another land war in Europe.
11:53:

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says Russia is threatening peace and security in Europe, the Reuters news agency reports. Mr Rasmussen also calls on Russia to de-escalate tensions.
Daniel Sandford BBC News, Perevalnoe

tweets: Perevalnoe now. Ukrainian army base surrounded by Russian troops
11:47:

Paul Mason from British Channel 4 TV sees a broader risk from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Coming home on a London bus on Saturday night, he writes: "Few people betrayed any grasp of the odds that they were living through the last days of globalisation and multilateral order - but they are high."
Szilard Szocs in Budapest, Hungary

emails: I'm deeply concerned about the current escalation of the events. So far, it also gives me much anxiety that Hungary - as a member of the EU and the North Atlantic treaty, as well as a neighbour to Ukraine - we still fail to make a bold statement about the situation and oppose any kind of aggression which threatens sovereignty. I don't know how the heroes of the 1956 Hungarian revolution would feel about this.
11:43:

More from our Russian Service correspondent Oleg Boldyrev, who says it has become risky to film activity in the crowds in Feodosia: "We saw cameramen and photographers being harassed, a Reuters cameraman had to leave as he approached the base and another cameraman was led away by a policeman."
11:43: Richard Galpin BBC News, Moscow

says two anti-war demonstrations were broken up by riot police on Sunday morning. In total, a few hundred took part. A demonstration in support of the Russian government's policy on Ukraine is due to take place at 13:00 GMT.
11:40:

Our Russian Service correspondent Oleg Boldyrev is near the gates of Ukraine's marines base in Feodosia, where a standoff is taking place after marines refused to pledge loyalty to the new Pro-Russian government in Crimea.
"Despite threats to attack the base, local Cossacks, who act as law and order here, continue to stand in a chain near the gates," he reports.
11:38: Chris Dancer in St Helens, UK

emails: 100 years since 1914 and we are still doing this? Trying to solve disputes by moving soldiers into other people's countries? It makes you want to scream.
11:37: Christian Fraser BBC News, Sevastapol

tweets: Russian soldiers going through store rooms of a naval base in Crimea. "We are hostages" said a Ukrainian admiral
11:36: Alice Mishchenko in Edinburgh, Scotland

emails: I'm a British citizen but I was born and lived half of my life in Ukraine, where I still have close family and friends. Clearly what's happening here is Putin's unwillingness to let go of the firm hold he's had over Ukraine for so many years. First he acted as a puppet master of the former Ukrainian president, Yanukovich, pressuring him not to sign the EU agreement and now breaking the international law. He's brought the troops into Ukraine under the false pretence of the Russian people in Ukraine getting suppressed and beat up, when locals (including Russians in Ukraine) are saying it's all fake and it's not them protesting with Russian flags. This has to be stopped! If Crimean majority want to be part of Russia, let them have a referendum but Putin has no right to dictate what people in Ukraine (Russian or not) want and need. No to war in Ukraine!
Carl Bildt Swedish Foreign Minister

tweets: "On the centenary of 1914, we are suddenly in a Europe of invasion, aggression and threats of massive use of military force."
11:33:

In a statement, PM Yatsenyuk said:
"This is actually a declaration of war to my country. We urge Putin to pull back his troops from this country and honour bilateral agreements. If he wants to be the president who started the war between two neighbouring and friendly countries, he has reached his target within a few inches."
11:27:

Ukraine's acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accuses Russia of "declaring war", the AFP news agency reports.
11:26:

EU specialist Gergely Polner tweets: In 1994, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons against joint guarantees by US, UK & Russia of its territorial integrity.
11:24: Yauhen in London

emails: I hope that Europe manages to avoid another disgrace and finally acts to protect the country that paid such a high price for a chance to become a part of united Europe one day. If Europe and US don't act, what were these people fighting for?
11:21: Iain Morris in London

emails: There seem to be lots of people posting on this site who believe Russia is justified because Crimea is home to lots of Russian speakers. Does that mean Russia has carte blanche to invade any territory where there are Russian speakers on the pretext of defending their rights? I don't recall reading any reports that Russian speakers in Ukraine were being threatened with violence and discrimination in the wake of Yanukovych's exit.
11:21:

More from BBC Russian correspondent Oleg Boldyrev at the Ukrainian marine base in Feodosiya: "The atmosphere is calm but people are chanting. There are calls for the Ukrainain marines not to obey orders from Kiev... [It is] very calm at the moment, with locals coming to thank Russian soldiers."
11:20:

BBC Russian Service correspondent Oleg Boldyrev at the Crimean base in Feodosiya says the deadline has passed for Ukrainian marines to swear their allegiance to the new Crimean authorities. The base gates are blocked by a chain of Cossacks; two armoured personnel carriers are visible beyond that.
11:17:

"We are on the brink of disaster," Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
11:16:

Reuters reports that Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov has said Ukraine's airspace is closed to any non-civilian aircraft.
11:14: Yulia Miadz, Belarusian in France

tweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay There are many Russian apeakers in Belarus. Really afraid that my country will put the next one on Putin's list.
11:08:

Journalist Brian Whelan, who specialises in reporting on Europe's far-right, tweets:
Who is in charge of defence in post-revolution Ukraine? Andriy Parubiy of far-right Svoboda party and Dmytro Yarosh of Right Sector (nazis)
11:04:

Ukrainian MP Hryhoriy Nemyrya, a former deputy prime minister for Euro-integration, has said there is no threat to Russian citizens on Ukrainian and Crimean territory, so there are no grounds for Russian troops getting involved, Ukraine's 5 Kanal TV reports.
11:03: Ian in Folkestone

emails: I am not sure why the events in Ukraine are considered to be an "armed coup" and "undemocratic". Large numbers of civilians protested, significant numbers were killed by Ukrainian forces and the changes were passed by the Ukrainian parliament in accordance with Ukrainian law. Other than the killing of protesters, which must have been sanctioned by the previous government, this seems to me to be democracy in action.
11:01:

This photo shows an underground gas storage facilities in the Ukrainian village of Mryn, north of Kiev. Russia supplies more than half of Ukraine's natural gas needs, and is owed around $1.6 billion (£954 million) by the Ukrainian state.
Michael in Leeds

emails: This reminds me of the Sudetenland crisis [in 1938]. Germany claims they have the right to takeover the Sudetenland as there are Germans speakers there, then takes it. Then decides it wants the rest of Czechoslovakia.
10:48: Ivar Bundulis in Edinburgh, Scotland

emails: I really hope the decision-makers here see the potential for loss of human life and suffering that a conflict could bring. Their first priority should be to avoid war. Their second priority should be to respect the democratic will of the people. If the people of Crimea vote to leave the Ukraine and rejoin Russia, then that should be respected by all parties and brought about in a fair and just manner. Just like the wishes of the rest of the Ukraine to have closer ties to the west should be respected.
10:47: Attila Bordas

tweets: this photo of a small protest being held in Oxford, UK
Yaroslav Trofimov Wall Street Journal

tweets: So far the only ethnic Russians beaten/arrested/persecuted are the ones trying to demonstrate in Moscow against the war on #Ukraine
10:45:

The Ukrainian military recruitment office in the Crimean capital Simferopol is open, reports the BBC's Olga Ivshina: "Staff members did not let us in, but said that volunteers to join Ukrainian army can come tomorrow. Conscripts will be called to come, when 'the order comes'," she says.
10:41:

Ukraine has called for the immediate despatch of an international fact-finding mission to Ukraine and Crimea, as well as assistance in protecting nuclear facilities. It is inviting the OSCE, the EU and others to hold meetings in Ukraine. It is also setting up a parliamentary negotiation group to reach out to Russian MPs.
10:41:

US protesters have been holding rallies in support of Ukraine outside the White House in Washington.
10:39:

Putin will not let Ukraine go easily, writes John Kampfner in the Sunday Telegraph: "It is hard to think of two countries more entangled".
10:38:

The Kremlin has published this read-out of Russian President Vladimir Putin's conversation with his US counterpart Barack Obama on Saturday. It says Mr Putin stressed that in case of any further spread of violence to Eastern Ukraine and Crimea, Russia retains the right to protect its interests and the Russian-speaking population of those areas.
10:29:

Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh has told the Supreme Council that 11 Russian helicopters and seven Il-76 transport aircraft landed in Crimea last night. He added that Colonel General Aleksandr Galkin, Southern Military District commander, is in charge of the Russian "special operation" in Crimea.
Richard Galpin BBC News, Moscow

tweets: Police break up anti-war demo in #moscow # Russia. Outside ministry of defence. Few hundred people
10:26:

Colleagues at BBC Ukrainian in Kiev point out that Facebook accounts of most Ukrainian cabinet ministers are becoming a valuable source of information. The Interior Minister Arsen Avakov is using his Facebook page to publish detailed updates of developments in Crimea and elsewhere.
10:25:

Meetings to prepare for an upcoming G8 summit in the Russian resort of Sochi should be put on hold, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has told Europe 1 radio. The US and Canada have already said they will not take part in the meetings.
10:24: Andrei in London

emails: I am Belarusian, live in London, my mother and grandfather are Ukranians. I think even if most of people in Crimea are Russians, that does not mean all of them want to live in Russia. Even if they did want to, there should be a referendum, but not Putin who will decide.
Associated Press correspondent Tim Sullivan has tweeted: Soldiers - still in unmarked uniforms - at Crimean council of ministers. Sunday. Simferopol.#ukraine #russia
10:17: Shaun in the Lake District

emails: While people are following the rhetoric that 'Crimea wants to be Russian', they seem to be skipping over the fact of the latest Gallup poll of Crimean residents where the results were 53% wanted to stay as an autonomy within Ukraine, and only 23% wanted to be separated and become an autonomy in Russia.
10:15: Ben O'Sullivan, UK

tweets: Very worrying in Ukraine, massive shift of global power. US obviously much weaker than it was 10 years ago @BBC_HaveYourSay #ukraine
10:09: Alex McCormac in London

tweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay What is the point of the Security Council if it can't act? Surely States in play should be excluded from the voting process
Kevin Bishop BBC News, Sevastapol

tweets: The blast from the twelve o'clock daily cannon fire here in Sevastopol causes its usual jump among the gathered journos...
10:05: Gregory Edelston in London

emails: Just as Gibraltar is and wants to be British, so too Crimea wants to be Russian. The people are Russian and want to be part of Russia. What is the problem - it's democracy?
10:04: Dean in London

emails: The usual double standards by the West. We are supposed to promote and support democracy and suddenly we are happy with armed coup only because it hurts Russia. Do we really expect that Russia will watch this indifferently and leave millions of Russians to be threatened by hooligans, armed by whom?
10:03:

BBC Ukrainian editor Nina Kuryata in Kiev has received reports of Russian paratroopers threatening to storm Ukrainian army's marine battalion barracks in the village Perevalnoye, south of Simferopol. The battalion refused to hand in weapons and is preparing for assault.
10:02:

Ukraine's government says the mobilisation of its armed forces is to "ensure the security and territorial integrity of Ukraine".
10:00: Dan in Kidderminster

emails: The Crimea is clearly part of Russia. Only an accident of Soviet history made it part of Ukraine! Let the people of the Crimea have their way!
Olga, Moscow, Russia

emails: I am Russian, was born in Russia and have lived in Moscow all my life. I am deeply ashamed of our government's decisions and actions concerning Ukraine. The military invasion will destroy the relations with Ukraine, with Europe and with all civilised countries, but also it will not safe or protect anybody in Crimea. All people will suffer, including Russia supporters.
09:56:

Ukraine is estimated to have around one million reservists. Its active military force counts some 160,000 personnel.
09:52:

US President Barack Obama says Russia is in breach of international law, having clearly violated Ukraine's sovereignty. Watch our short report on the earlier phone conversation between Mr Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
09:49:

Ukraine's armed forces are in a state of full combat readiness to protect key energy and nuclear sites, officials say.
09:48: Breaking News

Ukraine is to call up all its military reservists, the government has announced.
09:46:

The latest is the mysterious "Russian sniper" in Belgorod allegedly hired by Praviy Sector. Now their site, hosted by VKontakte (the Russian Facebook) has been blocked after a demand from the Russian regulator Roskomnadzor.
09:45:

The BBC's Ukraine analyst Olexiy Solohubenko says it appears that the far-right paramilitary movement Right Sector is becoming the target of all sorts of dodgy accusations. Their appeal to the Chechen warlord Doku Umarov seems to be a fake, and Right Sector press secretary Andriy Skoropadsky says the account was hacked at the time the appeal was allegedly sent.
09:43: Duncan Crawford BBC News

US options being discussed v weak: cancel Obama Russia trip in June, shelve pos trade deal, kick Moscow out of G8, etc.
09:35:

Syria, Edward Snowden and now Ukraine: the past 12 months are the worst year of Washington-Moscow relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union, writes Edward-Isaac Dovere in Politico.
09:34: Andrey in Donetsk, Ukraine

emails: I live in Donetsk and I am Russian-speaking Ukrainian. From Friday Donetsk is overcrowded with outsiders whose job is to pretend to be us (locals). On Saturday they staged the protest meeting with Russian flags, and even announced a people's governor, right on the square - a person who no one had heard about before. I do not know what is happened in other eastern Ukrainian cities, but it looks like the same scenario as in Donetsk.
09:32:

"Pull over and get out": Journalists report being stopped at Crimean checkpoints and having their bulletproof vests confiscated by militia armed with Kalashnikovs.
09:31: Kevin Bishop BBC News, Moscow

tweets: Ukraine is a state but not yet a nation - from Jack Matlock, former US Ambassador to USSR
09:26:

Why is Putin doing this? Because he can, writes Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) of The New Republic. Western logic does not apply to Russia, she says. "All you really need to do to seem clairvoyant about the place is to be an utter pessimist." And the US or Nato will not do much.
09:25:

The Russian Orthodox Church described Russia's decision to send troops as a "peace-keeping mission".
"We hope that the mission of the Russian warriors aimed at defending the freedom and the cultural originality of [Ukrainians] will not meet with the sort of violent resistance which can lead to big-scale military engagements," the church said in a statement.
09:21: Richard Galpin BBC News, Moscow

tweets: #Russia media reporting "provocations" by #Ukraine ultra-nationalists on border - "attempt to block Moscow-Crimea road".
09:16:

UK Foreign Minister William Hague is due to visit Kiev on Sunday. He has said he is "deeply concerned" and will "reiterate support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine".
Oleksandr Buryan in Poltava, Ukraine

emails: I am partly Russian, my first language is Russian and no one here is suppressing my right to speak in Russian. Putin's reasons for protecting the Russian speaking population in Ukraine are a complete nonsense.
09:14:

Is this the most dangerous moment in Europe since the end of the Cold War? The head of the Carnegie Moscow Center, Dmitri Trenin, certainly thinks so. In this commentary for the Guardian newspaper, he says: "Even if there is no war, the Crimea crisis is likely to alter fundamentally relations between Russia and the west and lead to changes in the global power balance."
09:10:

Crimea has at times been under the control of the ancient Greeks, the Romans, Gothic tribes, the Kievan Rus' state, the Byzantine empire and the Mongols, among others. It was a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire from the mid-1400s to 1783, when it was annexed by Russia. This is a good summary of the peninsula's complicated history from the Washington Post.
09:09:

Heavily armed troops wearing no identifying insignia guard a local government building in the Crimean capital, Simferopol. Some 6,000 extra Russian troops and 30 additional armoured vehicles are now in Crimea, the Ukrainian Defence Minister said on Saturday.
09:04:

The Ukrainian Supreme Council is holding an emergency closed-door session to discuss Russia's decision to authorise military intervention, reports the Ukrainian Espresso TV channel. The council will hear reports by Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh, security service chief Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, and the chief of the Border Service, Mykola Lytvyn.
09:02:

The BBC's Daniel Sandford, who is at the Ukrainian naval headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, says pro-Russian activists are blocking sailors from coming to work. There appears to be great nervousness inside the base, with at least one machine-gunner stationed on a roof. Other armed troops are peering through windows and off rooftops.
08:55:

Welcome to our coverage of events in Ukraine, where the army is on full combat alert and high-level diplomacy will be taking place in Kiev, Moscow, Brussels and elsewhere.