BREAKING NEWS: Russia to publish its own list of sanctions against US officials

Russia to publish its own list of sanctions against US officials just as the Russian Parliament endorsed the drafted resolution for Crimea peninsula to become part of Russia federation.




Details later...

Breaking: Russia does not want a break-up of Ukraine, Putin tells parliament

Putin says Russia does not want break-up of Ukraine

Russian Putin orders approval of Crimea’s request to join Russia federation

[AFP] Russian President, Vladimir Putin has backed the approval of a draft agreement which would incorporate Ukraine’s region of Crimea into Russian territory, according to an official instruction published Tuesday.

Russian Putin signed a decree on Monday recognising Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state

[Reuters] President Vladimir Putin of Russia has sign a decree on Monday recognising Ukraine's Crimea region as a sovereign state, Russian news agencies cited the Kremlin press service as saying.

Crimean vote to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum that has fanned the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. The Kremlin’s official website quoted Putin’s decree as recognising “the Republic of Crimea… as a sovereign and independent state.”

It was issued “considering the expression of the will of the people of Crimea at the general Crimean referendum” on Sunday, it said.

Tensions as Ukrainian Government detains Pro-Russian protesters in Donetsk

There were tense scenes in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk as  several dozen pro-Russia protesters were detained during a police operation to  clear demonstrators from the regional administration centre.

The building had been occupied by pro-Russian protesters since Wednesday evening and was taken over by police on Thursday.

Protesters in the ethnic Russian  stronghold demanded a referendum for greater autonomy in the region. Some called for union with Russia. 

"We are all Russians, we are  slavic. We want to live in a big, strong country, not in the divided thumb of
one arm," one local resident said. [AP]

ALJAZEERA

Tensions: Obama sends six fighters for NATO Baltics patrols Over Ukraine Crimea

[AFP] The United States sent six additional F-15 fighter jets to step up NATO's air patrols over the Baltic states, mission host Lithuania said as West-Russia tensions simmered over Ukraine.

"I have had confirmation that the air police missions will be reinforced by six additional F-15 fighters," Defence Minister Juozas Olekas told AFP.

The move is a response to "Russian aggression in Ukraine and additional military activity in the Kaliningrad region," Russia's exclave bordering  Lithuania and Poland, he said.

Ukraine Crimea War: EU to postpone sanctions' debate

Hours earlier the EU leaders announced 3-step sanctions against Russia, from political to possible economic measures.

US destroyer "routine visit" on Black Sea. EU to postpone sanctions' debate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YI0qEU9VnnQ#t=0

Moscow accuses Washington of feeding the Ukrainian protests

According the Russian Foreign Ministry, quoted by Itar-Tass: Washington cannot admit, of course, that they themselves were feeding the “Maidan” [protests] and encouraging the overthrow of the legitimate government by force, thus paving the way to those who are posing as the legitimate authorities in Kiev now