The Russian parliament has approved President Vladimir Putin’s request to use the Russian military in Ukraine’s Crimea region, further raising tensions between the neighbors.
Saturday’s vote made official what Ukrainian authorities have described as an ongoing deployment of Russian troops in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
Russia’s upper house of parliament also recommended that President Putin recall Moscow’s ambassador from the United States.
That move comes just one day after U.S. President Barack Obama expressed concern about reports of Russian troop movements in Crimea and warned Russia not to intervene in Ukraine, saying there would be consequences.
Earlier Saturday, the newly appointed pro-Russian prime minister of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, claimed control of the region’s military and other security forces. He appealed to Mr. Putin for help in restoring “peace and calm.”
Crimea, part of Ukraine since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, is now the focus of turmoil after pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted a week ago.
At a meeting of the interim government in Kyiv Saturday, Ukraine’s newly appointed Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk demanded that Russia stop what he called its “provocations” in Crimea, and said the Ukrainian military in the majority Russian area is on high alert.
Russia has said its troop movements in Crimea, where it leases a naval base in Sevastopol, conform to agreements with Ukraine. But Ukraine’s acting defense minister said 6,000 additional Russian troops have been deployed on Ukrainian soil.
Ukraine also has refused to recognize the Crimean prime minister, with acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov issuing a statement declaring Aksyonov’s appointment a violation of Ukraine’s constitution.
Aksyonov was appointed by the Crimean parliament earlier this week as tensions soared over Crimea’s resistance to the new authorities in Kyiv, who took power last week.
Source-VOA
