Kiev’s pro-European rulers, who took power after last month’s fall of Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovich to popular unrest, have been as powerless as Western governments to prevent the referendum or buildup of Russian forces on Ukrainian territory.Īt a polling booth at a school in Simferopol, the Crimean regional capital, dozens of people lined up outside to cast their ballots early. trip where he won expressions of moral support but no offers of weapons. The ground will burn under their feet,” he told a cabinet meeting. “We will find all of them - if it takes one year, two years - and bring them to justice and try them in Ukrainian and international courts. In Kiev, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk threatened dire consequences for Crimean politicians who had called the vote, saying separatist “ringleaders” wanted to destroy Ukrainian independence “under the cover of Russian troops”. ![]() Western countries say the vote, which is likely to favour union with Russia for a region which has a Russian-speaking majority, is illegal and the United States warned Moscow to expect sanctions.īut Russian President Vladimir Putin said the referendum complied with international law and respected the will of the Crimean people, while his foreign ministry said it had agreed with the United States to seek a solution to the crisis through constitutional reform. ![]() ![]() REUTERS/Sergei KarpukhinĬaught in an East-West crisis reminiscent of the Cold War, Kiev said Russia’s build-up of forces in the Black Sea region was in “crude violation” of an international treaty, and announced plans to arm and train 20,000 members of a newly-created National Guard to defend the nation. A woman casts her ballot during the referendum on the status of Ukraine's Crimea region at a polling station in Bakhchisaray March 16, 2014.
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