Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

Another protester died today; he was shot Feb. 18.

Memorial services going on at Maidan this evening.

[Anna Michele]

R.I.P. to him and all the lives lost. I pray things get sorted out before any more lives are lost

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[Natalka]

REUTERS - MARCH 3, 2014, 5:11 P.M. E.S.T.

UNITED NATIONS — Russia has deployed roughly 16,000 troops to Ukraine's autonomous region of Crimea since last week, Kiev's U.N. Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev said on Monday.


"Beginning from 24 February, approximately 16,000 Russian troops have been deployed in Crimea by the military ships, helicopters, cargo airplanes from the neighboring territory of the Russian Federation," Sergeyev told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the crisis in his country.


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UNITED NATIONS Mon Mar 3, 2014

(Reuters) - Ukraine's ousted leader Viktor Yanukovich has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use Russia's military to restore law and order in Ukraine, Moscow's U.N. envoy told a stormy meeting of the Security Council on Monday.


"The country has plunged into chaos and anarchy," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin read from an unofficial translation of the letter while speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. "The country is in the grip of outright terror and violence driven by the West."
"People are persecuted on political and language grounds," he read. "In this context, I appeal to the President of Russia Vladimir V. Putin to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to re-establish the rule of law, peace, order, stability and to protect the people of Ukraine."

After the Russian ambassador spoke, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power dismissed Russian claims that Russian-speaking Ukrainians were under threat in the eastern regions of the former Soviet republic.


"There is no evidence that ethnic Russians are in danger," she told the 15-nation council, which is holding its third emergency session on Ukraine in four days, this time at the request of Russia.



British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant also rejected Russian allegations of acts of terrorism and threats against ethnic Russians in Ukraine. "It is clear that these claims have simply been fabricated to justify Russian military action," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...A2224720140304

[Natalka]

Ukrainians make love, not war.

Ukrainian soldier and girlfriend kissing; Russians armed with machine guns in Crimea

[Natalka]

Interesting, watching CNN's Anderson Cooper reporting live from Maidan - very early morning there tomorrow. It was kind of surreal, because I could hear in the background what I have live on another tab - streaming of the stage at Maidan where there is a prayer service going on.

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Awesome, Toronto City Hall lit up in blue and yellow for support for Ukraine



Vigil at city hall - singing national anthem of Ukraine

[Andit]

Wondering just how sane Putin is and whether this is just the beginning.


http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/...vading-crimea/

[Natalka]

Today, John Kerry at Maidan, with Patriarch Filaret, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine



14:55:
US Secretary of State John Kerry has addressed crowds at a shrine created to commemorate those killed in the anti-government protests in Kiev last month. "We are going to help you. We are helping you. President Obama is planning for more assistance," he said, speaking from Independence Square.

[Natalka]

"cough"... allegedly unrelated...

The Russian military says it has launched a Topol RS-12M missile from its Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea to the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan.

19:48:

News of Tuesday's missile test came after the US accused Russian forces of an "act of aggression" in Crimea

21:01:
Jonathan Marcus, the BBC's diplomatic correspondent, says missile tests, such as the one today, are often planned a good way in advance and may well have little to do with the current crisis in Ukraine.


21:02:
Nonetheless, Jonathan Marcus continues, it inevitably adds another element of "cold war" style tension to the current drama; a reminder that decades after the Cold War ended both Russia and the US still retain large nuclear arsenals often at a high level of alert.

[Natalka]

Tonight, Euromaidan in Kharkiv. From the person who posted the photo on twitter, about her city: "It speaks Russian but it has a Ukrainian spirit!"

[Natalka]

At least three shots were fired, according to reporters, with the warning being given by Russian troops to the Ukrainians that if they came any closer they would be shot in the leg, the BBC's Daniel Sandford said.


Pro-Russian troops who took control of the Belbek air base in Sevastopol warned the group of about 300 Ukrainians, who were unarmed, not to approach.


"You are deliberately provoking us," the Russian troops said to the men. "How are we provoking you? We have no weapons," the Ukrainians responded.


The Ukrainian soldiers, who previously manned the airfield and were demanding their jobs back, were singing the national anthem, proudly holding their and trying to go to their workplace, the BBC added.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014...n_4895349.html

[Natalka]

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the situation In Ukraine

March 4, 2014
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the situation in Ukraine:
“I have this morning directed that, effective immediately, all planned bilateral activities between the Canadian Armed Forces and the military of the Russian Federation be suspended. This includes exercises, such as NORAD’s Exercise Vigilant Eagle, and scheduled meetings.
“We continue to view the situation in Ukraine with the gravest concern and will continue to review our relations with President Putin’s government accordingly.”

---

The Prime Minister's Office - Communications

[Natalka]

Onlookers keep up-to-date with the latest developments on a large TV screen in Kiev's central Independence Square

[Natalka]

Stephen Harper ✔ @pmharper Follow Ukrainian (f-l-a-g) being proudly flown on Parliament Hill to demonstrate our solidarity w/ people of #Ukraine #cdnpoli
7:29 AM - 4 Mar 2014

[Natalka]

Putin today, kinda scary - an angry man(iac?)...




During the press conference, Putin was asked whether he was concerned about the possibility of war with Ukraine if Russia staged a military intervention on Ukrainian territory -

The transcription, and translation

[Anna Michele]

Wtf
Who are you trying to kid. Defend the ukrainian people . Give the people what they want!
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