Why Ukraine Is Such A Big Deal For RussiabyKRISHNADEV CALAMURFebruary 21, 201411:52 AM

Russian PresidentVladimir Putin(right) and his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, chat during a news conference after talks in Moscow on Dec. 17.Ivan Sekretarev/APThere's cautious optimism inUkraineand the West on Friday at news that President Viktor Yanukovychhas agreed to hold new elections, form a unity government and restore a constitution drafted in 2004. But the mood in Moscow may not be as optimistic.One reason for this, asNPR's Greg Myre reported, is that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to stem his country's decline inglobal influence: Moscow's leverage in places like Ukraine is one way to preserve that influence. But there are other reasons why Ukraine is of deep interest to Russia reasons that have more to do with history, faith, economics and culture.ASpecial RelationshipMatthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at theWilson Center, says the two countries "are joined at the hip": They share language; Russian media are popular in Ukraine; there are family ties; many Ukrainians work in Russia; and Russians have billions of dollars invested in Ukraine."Their relationship is like the U.S.-U.K. special relationship," Rojansky says.Historically, those ties date back to before theSoviet Union and even before the days of the Russian empire that began in the 18th century.Many consider Ukraine to be the birthplace of the region's Orthodox Christianity. Ukraine then became part of the Russian empire, and later part of the Soviet Union, where Ukrainian men werepivotalin the Soviet defeat of theGerman armyin World War II. (Ukraine was perhaps the most important Soviet republic after Russia).LinguisticAnd Economic TiesLinguistically,as we've told you before, most Ukrainians speak both Ukrainian and Russian. But it's the eastern and southern parts of the country where Russianspeakersdominate, and where Russia still holds influence.TakeCrimea, for instance. More than half of its 2 million people are Russian, andRussia still maintains a naval base there. In fact,the region was part of Russia until 1954, when Soviet leaderNikita Khrushchevgave it to Ukraine as a present. When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, Crimea became part of an independent Ukraine.Millions of Ukrainians work in Russia, and according to the EU-fundedMigration Policy Centre, the Russia-Ukraine border is the second-largestmigrationcorridor in the world. (The U.S.-Mexico border is the largest.) The center says that in 2011, more than one-third of all Ukrainian migration was to Russia.Russian companiesare one of the largest investors in Ukraine, accounting for 7 percent of totalforeign investmentin 2013,according to official Ukrainian statistics. And when Yanukovych walked away from thedealon closer economic andpolitical tieswith the EU, Russia said it would buy $15 billion worth of Ukrainian bonds, giving Kiev an economic lifeline. (But on Friday Moscow saidit was taking a wait-and-seeapproach to the events unfolding across the border.)Ukraine is also a key component of Russia's plans for aEurasiancustoms union with some otherformerSoviet states. But as Steven Pifer, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine,told NPR's Robert Siegel, "for many Ukrainians, and I even think for President Yanukovych, that's not where they want to go."Seeds Of DiscordThe crisis inUkraineis, in many ways, a conflict about the former Soviet republic's future direction: Should it look westward toward the EU or maintain close ties with Russia?Until recently, this wasn't an either/or question, says Stephen Sestanovich, a professor of international diplomacy at Columbia University."For 20-odd years, it has been possible for the Ukrainians to kind of have it both ways," Sestanovichtold NPR's Siegel. "What is now the troubling issue on the agenda is the perception of a lot of people that you do have to choose, and that is producing violence across Ukraine."There are historicalreasonsfor some of the antipathy especially in the western part of Ukraine that borders Poland, where the protests against Yanukovych have been the loudest. This area was once part of Poland and Austro-Hungary, and became part of Ukraine only whenWorld WarII began.Ukraine was the victim of the1932-33 famine induced by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Later, it was among the Soviet republics thatbore the brunt of the Chernobyl disaster.Those events undoubtedly resonated in the public memory for years: Ukraine was one of the first Soviet republics to vote for independence from the USSR. It did so overwhelmingly in 1991. The Soviet Union fell apart soon after that. ukraine russia Share Facebook Twitter Google+ Email 43CommentThe World According To Vladimir PutinFebruary 21, 2014Pope Welcomes New Cardinals, Many From Developing WorldFebruary 22, 2014You must be signed in to leave a comment.Sign In / RegisterPlease keep your community civil. All comments must follow theNPR.org Community rulesandterms of use, and will be moderated prior to posting. 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NPR ShopSupport The Programs You Love news arts & life music programs listen aboutObama and Merkel insist on diplomatic path in Ukraine6427Tuesday 18 March 2014 23.531of 4Armed Russian forces arrest Ukrainianarmy officersduring an operation in SimferopolGermanChancellorAngela Merkeland US President Barack Obama have condemned Russia's moves to annex Crimea but said "a clear path" remains to solve the crisis diplomatically.In a phone call thetwo leaders also agreed thatUkraine's territorial integrity had suffered "unacceptable blows", according to aGerman governmentspokesman.Mr Obama and Ms Merkel spoke afterPresidentVladimir Putinsigned a treaty claiming theBlack Searegion of Crimea as Russian territory, and as Ukraine warned the showdown had entered a "military stage" after soldiers were killed on both sides.

RELATED AUDIO & VIDEO Watch:Ukrainian military says one of its officers was killed in an attack in Crimea Watch:US and Europe warn of fresh sanctions planned against Russia Watch:Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Crimea is returning homeMORE RELATED CLIPS+Russia's move, less than three weeks after pro-Moscow troops first seizedcontrolof thestrategicpeninsula, was slammed by Western leaders."The one-sided declaration ofCrimea's independence and the absorption into theRussian Federationthat started today are unacceptable blows against the territorial integrity of Ukraine," German spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.Mr Merkel and Ms Obama agreed that the "so-called" referendum on secession held in Crimea on Sunday breached Ukraine's constitution andinternational law, Mr Seibert added.In a statement issued by theWhite Housethe leaders warned "there would be costs" for Russia's moves."They agreed it was vital tosend internationalmonitors from the Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations to southern and eastern Ukraine immediately," the statement said.However, both Berlin and Washington said there was room for negotiations to de-escalate the situation."Both leaders agreed to continue to underscore to Russian President Putin that thereremainsa clear path for resolving thiscrisisdiplomatically, in a way that addresses the interests of both Russia and the people of Ukraine," the White House statement said.Earlier UkrainianPrime MinisterArseny Yatsenyuk said the conflict with Russia wasentering a "military stage".One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and another was wounded during a raid on a Ukrainianmilitary basein Crimea.Mr Yatsenyuk described the attack as a "war crime".Ukraine issued orders permitting its soldiers in Crimea to use weapons to protect their lives, acting President Oleksander Turchynov's press service said. Until now, forces deployed on the Black Sea peninsula, taken over three weeks ago by Russian forces, had been told to avoid using arms against attack.Putindefendsactions in Crimea Earlier,Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a fiercely patriotic speech in the Kremlin, describing Crimea as an inseparable part of Russia.Addressing a special joint session of parliament in Moscow, Mr Putinaccusedthe West of reverting to Cold War containment by trying to stop the Ukrainian region joining Russia.He defended Russia's actions in the crisis over the Black Sea peninsula, which has pushed relations with the West to a post-Cold War low.To the Russian national anthem, Mr Putin and Crimean leaders signed a treaty on making Crimea part of Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh RasmussencondemnedRussia's move to annex the Crimea region, saying Moscow had embarked on a "dangerous path"."I condemn President (Vladimir) Putin's announcement of new laws incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation,"Mr Rasmussen said in a statement."Russia has disregarded all calls to step back into line with international law and continues down the dangerous path.Mr Rasmussen said there was no justification for the action, which would "deepen Russias international isolation."Meanwhile, aspokesman for European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has denied a report by a Russian news agency that he would meet Mr Putin in Moscow tomorrow.Interfax cited diplomatic sources in its report."No. President Van Rompuy will not go to Moscow tomorrow," Preben Aamann, a spokesman for Mr Van Rompuy, said."He will be preparing for the European Council in Brussels on Thursday andFriday this week."Putin's actions condemned by WestThere has been widespread condemnation of Mr Putins actions by Western political leaders.Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign AffairsElmar Brok said the European Union would impose increased sanctions on Russia if it continued to ignore international law.Speaking on RT's News at One, Mr Brok said: "Russian propaganda" ignored the reality that it had occupied another country and held a referendum, and that this was a clear breach of Crimea's constitutional laws and of international laws.He called Russia's behaviour akin to that of the "big powers of the 19th Century".British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would suspend all bilateral military cooperation with Russia following Mr Putins actions."We have suspended all such cooperation," Mr Hague told parliament, saying a technical cooperation agreement and joint naval exercises with Russia, France, Britain and the UShad been put on hold.Putin dismisses concerns over threat to UkraineIn his speech, Mr Putin had said that the Crimean issue was of "historic importance for all of us."Addressing members of his government, business leaders and Crimean leaders, he said:"In the hearts and minds of people, Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia."This commitment, based on truth and justice, was firm, was passed from generation to generation," he said in thespeech lasting47 minutes.He depicted the Black Sea peninsula as a holy place for Russia and accused the West, which has imposed sanctions on some Russians and Ukrainians, of crossing a red line.Mr Putin dismissed concerns that Russia would try to seize other regions in Ukraine.But he added: "Our Western partners, headed by the United States, prefer not to be guided by international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the gun.""They have come to believe in their exceptionalism and their sense of being the chosen ones. That they can decide the destinies of the world, that it is only them who can be right."Mr Putin signed a decree recognising Crimea as an independent state yesterday.It came one day after it voted overwhelmingly for union with Russia in a referendum which the West said was illegitimate.Mr Putin also heavily criticised the new leadership in Kiev, which ousted Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovych on 22 February, saying they had opened the door to "neo-Nazis"."Those who were behind recent events, they were ... preparing a coup d'etat, another one. They were planning to seize power, stopping at nothing. Terror, murder, pogroms were used," he said."It is primarily they who are deciding how Ukraine lives today. The so-called Ukrainian authorities introduced a scandalous law on the revision of the language policy, which directly violated the rights of the national minorities."Crimea to adopt rouble as official currencyCrimean Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyevsaid the region would adopt the Russian rouble as the official currency and drop the Ukrainian hryvnia from April.

Crimean authorities had earlier said the hryvnia would remain an official currency until 2016.Within hours of the referendum result, the Crimean parliament formally asked that Russia "admit the Republic of Crimea as a new subject with the status of a republic".Ukraine and the West said the referendum, held under armed Russian occupation, violated Ukraine's constitution and international law.The USand EUhave imposed personal sanctions on Russian and Crimean officials.US PresidentBarack Obamaimposed sanctions on 11 Russians and Ukrainians blamed for the seizure, including Mr Yanukovych, and Vladislav Surkov and Sergei Glazyev, two aides to Mr Putin.Mr Putin himself, suspected in the West of trying to resurrect as much as possible of the former Soviet Union under Russian leadership, was not on the blacklist.A White House spokesman declined to rule out adding him at a later stage.Amid fears that Russia may move into eastern Ukraine where there is a significant Russian-speaking community, Mr Obama warned that "further provocations" would only increase Russia's isolation and exact a greater toll on its economy."If Russia continues to interfere in Ukraine, we stand ready to impose further sanctions," he said.A senior USofficial said Mr Obama's order cleared the way to impose sanctions on people associated with the arms industry and targets "the personal wealth of cronies" of the Russian leadership.In Brussels, the EU's 28 foreign ministers agreed to subject 21 Russian and Ukrainian officials to visa restrictions and asset freezes for their roles in the events. They included three Russian military commanders in Crimea and districts bordering on Ukraine.There were only three names in common on the US and European lists - Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov, Crimean parliament Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov and Leonid Slutski, chairman of the Russian Duma's committee on the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS, grouping former Soviet republics.The EU blacklisted My Yanukovych earlier this month.The US list appeared to target higher-profile Russian officials close to Mr Putin, including a deputy Russian prime minister, while the EU went for mid-ranking officials who may have been more directly involved on the ground.The US and the EUsaid further steps could follow in the coming days if Russia does not back down and if it formally annexes Crimea.Mr Obama said he would travel to Europe next week and that Vice President Joe Biden was headingto Poland and Lithuania to reassure USallies in the region.A senior Obama administration official said there was "concrete evidence" that some ballots in the Crimea referendum arrived in some Crimean cities pre-marked.Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who was named on the White House sanctions list, suggested that the measures would not affect those without assets abroad.Meanwhile,Minister of State for European Affairs Paschal Donohoehas said the ultimate objective of the EU in how it approaches the crisis in Ukraine is to continue in dialogue with Russia.Speaking on RT's Morning Ireland, MrDonohoe rejected suggestions that there was disagreement between international leaders about how sanctions imposed on Russian and Crimean officials involved in the seizure of Crimea would work.Mr Donohoe said there was very clear agreement that these sanctions should be put in place and that the individuals concerned should be targeted.However, he said the ultimate objective of the EU was to continue negotiations with Russia to lead to a peaceful solution.Minister Donohoe said EU leaders would continue to argue and be clear at a meeting of heads of state later this weekthat the referendum on the status of Crimea was illegal.Mr Putin's senior foreign policy advisorYuri Ushakovsaid Russia views Western sanctions with a "sense of irony and sarcasm".Ukraine crisis: March 18 as it happenedBritain suspends military co-operation with Russia as Ukrainian soldier killed during attack on base

President Vladimir Putin addresses a joint session of the Russian parliamentPhoto: REUTERSByJosie Ensor,and Lucy Kinder7:33PM GMT 18 Mar 2014 Ukrainian soldier killed in Crimea during attack Crimea's parliament has formally declared independence Handover of Crimea to Ukraine by Kruschev 'mistake' Putin says Russia will retaliate to sanctions Nearly 97 per cent vote to break away from Ukraine Ukraine parliament approves partial mobilisation of troops US vice-president visiting Poland todayLatest23.10We're going to leave it there for the night. Please check ourUkrainepage for the latest news.22.40A member of a pro-Russian militia group is reported to have been killed in the same gun battle that claimed the life of the Ukrainian soldier earlier. There's some confusion over how the militia man died and it seems that he may have been killed by his own side rather than shot by resisting Ukrainian forces.22.15You're not the only one who thinks this feels like the bad old days of the Cold War. Here's an old woman in the a pro-Russian crowd in Sevastopol, lovingly holding an image of Joseph Stalin.21.50Apparently, the crisis in Ukraine is not affecting the P5+1 nuclear negotiations in Vienna, where Russia and the US are in theory on the same as they try to make a deal with Iran. This from Reuters:The March 18-19 meeting between Iran and the powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - began a day after Washington and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russian officials over Moscow's takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region."I haven't seen any negative effect," Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton who coordinates the talks on behalf of the six nations, told reporters. "We continue our work in a unified fashion."21.20 Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the secretary general of Nato, has just arrived in Washington for talks with the Obama administration21.00When trying to understand what's going on in Crimea, it's important to remember that the peninsula was part of Russia until 1954, when the Soviet leadership transferred it to Ukraine.Many Russians feel that handover was a historic mistake and that Putin's annexation is merely a corrective measure. How widespread is that view? Well, evenMikhail Gorbachev, the man with whom the West could famously do business, agrees.He told Interfax:Earlier Crimea was merged with Ukraine under Soviet laws, to be more exact by the [Communist] party's laws, without asking the people, and now the people have decided to correct that mistake. This should be welcomed instead of declaring sanctions.Et tu, Gorby?20.30The White House has released this statement in response to the killing of a Ukrainian soldier in Crimea:We are deeply concerned by these reports and condemn any violence in the Crimean region of Ukraine. These reports belie President Putins claim that Russias military intervention in Crimea has calmed the security situation there. Diplomacy remains the only acceptable means of resolving this crisis, and we are prepared to impose further costs on Russia for its violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.19.36In an interview with the BBC, Vladyslav Seleznyov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian defence ministry, has pretty shockingly claimed that armed attackers used the commander of a Ukrainian military unit in Simferopol as a live shield to gain access to the building.19.22The AP news agency has footage of the mystery gunmen on the roof of the military base in Simferopol where a soldier was killed earlier.18.22The Ukrainiangovernment's official websiteconfirms that a junior officer has been killed in Simferopol. His surname is given as Kakurin, no first name . A captain named Fedun was wounded in the neck and the arm, the website says.18.10Our correspondent in Washington,Raf Sanchez, says John Kerry has said that any Russian incursion beyond Crimea would "as egregious as any step I can think of that could be taken by a country in today's world"."Today is egregious enough," he said. "When you raise this nationalistic fervor which would in fact infect in ways that could be very, very dangerous. All you have to do is go back and read in history about the lead up to World War II and the passions that were released with that kind of nationalistic fervor."17.55A Moscow-based correspondent for theGlobal Posttweets from outside Crimean parliament HQ:17.53Ukraine's defence ministry has said its soldiers were "allowed to use arms" after suffering their first casualty in Crimea since Russian and pro-Kremlin troops seized the peninsula nearly three weeks ago."For their self defence and protection of their lives, Ukrainian servicemen... deployed in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are allowed to use arms," the Ukrainian defence ministry said in a statement.It appears the attack was not carried out by Russian soldiers, but by armed men sympathetic to Moscow.17.43A Ukrainian military spokesman has said a serviceman has died and another was injured when a base in Crimea was stormed by armed men. Ukraine soldiers have been told they are "allowed to use arms" following the first death.Cossacks attend a rally to support the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea to Russia in the Russian southern city of Stavropol17.07Reuters also reports that mourners gathered at a cemetery outside Simferopol on Tuesday for the burial of Reshat Ametov blame Putin for his death.Ametov, who was in his 30s, disappeared on March 3 when three men in military jackets led him away from the scene of a protest in the Crimean regional capital of Simferopol, witnesses said.One friend at the burial, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals from pro-Russian agitators, said the father of three had gone into town in order to enlist for the Ukrainian army amid escalating tensions with Russia.His body was found nearly two weeks later near the town of Belogorsk, 50 km (30 miles) east of Simferopol, naked and showing signs of torture and beating.This is the first time in 20 years that this has happened," said one mourner, who, like most others, would not give his name. "I don't think this will be the end," added the man. "Putin arrives, and this happens. Of course it's him. It's like there is a plan for some kind of civil war.""The Russian army is here, people are scared and nobody wants to live staring down the barrel of a gun."17.02This just in from Reuters, US vice president Joe Biden says the U.S. is considering rotating American forces to the Baltic region as a step toward ensuring the collective defense of NATO allies against Russian aggression.Biden says that those forces could conduct ground and naval exercises, plus engage in training missions.16.48This from Raf Sanchez in Washington:"Bizarrely no one has asked about reports of the dead soldier or Ukrainian PM's statement. Here's the White House so far.The White House said "more is coming" in terms of sanctions against Russia but did not specify what form they would take."We condemn Russia's moves to formally annex the Crimean region of Ukraine. Such action is a threat to international peace and security and it is against international law. We would not recognise this attempted annexation. As we have said, there are costs with such action," said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary.Mr Carney would not say whether the US would push for Russia to be expelled from the G8."16.41German chancellor Angela Merkel says that she and Barack Obama have agreed in a phone call that Russia's acceptance of Crimea into Russia is an "unacceptable violation" of Ukraine's territorial integrity.16.37Russians hold banners reading 'Love you Crimea!', 'Together for all time', 'Obama think about Alaska!' and 'Believe Putin!' during a rally celebrating the joining of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia on Red Square in Moscow.SERGEI ILNITSKY/ EPA16.26The US has condemned Putin's decision to make Crimea part of Russia and promised more sanctions.16.21The European Union "will not recognise the annexation" of Crimea by Russia, the EU's top officials, Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso, said in a joint statement."The European Union does neither recognise the illegal and illegitimate referendum in Crimea nor its outcome. The European Union does not and will not recognise the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation," their statement said.16.17A Ukrainian military spokesman has said that an additional captain has ben injured. According to Reuters Vladislav Seleznyov described the attackers, as "unknown forces, fully equipped and their faces covered".16.14This just in from Reuters, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk has said that the conflict in its Crimea peninsula, now under Russian control, had entered a military phase and accused Russia of commiting a "war crime" by firing on Ukrainian servicemen."The conflict is moving from a political one to a military one because of Russian soldiers," he told a meeting at Ukraine's defence ministry."Today, Russian soldiers began shooting at Ukrainian servicemen and this is a war crime without any expiry under a statute of limitations."Yatseniuk said he had ordered Ukraine's defence minister to call a meeting with his counterparts from Britain, France, and Russia - signatories to a 1994 treaty guaranteeing Ukraine's borders to "prevent an escalation of the conflict".16.1316.11The Ukrainian defence ministry has confirmed that a soldier was killed in Crimea according to AFP16.07Reuters is reporting that a Ukrainian serviceman has been killed on an attack on a Ukrainian base in the Crimean capital of Simferopol according to Interfax news wire.15.53U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the crisis over Ukraine's Crimea region, the White House said.The two leaders spoke in an effort "to continue coordinating response to the situation in Ukraine," Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security adviser, said in a post on Twitter15.4015.38As I mentioned earlier, there was a lot of clapping in Putin's speech. The 47 minute address was interrupted by clapping at least 30 times according to Reuters.15.35More from Raf Sanchez:"Remember Mitt Romney? The 2012 Republican presidential contender has an article in the Wall Street Journal attacking Obama for failing to act when the US had real choices across a series of foreign policy challenges, instead waiting until America had nothing but bad options.Ashe puts it: "When protests in Ukraine grew and violence ensued, it was surely evident to people in the intelligence communityand to the White Housethat President Putin might try to take advantage of the situation to capture Crimea, or more. That was the time to talk with our global allies about punishments and sanctions, to secure their solidarity, and to communicate these to the Russian president."Given that Putin seems to happy to ignore sanctions and Western condemnation now it doesn't likely he would have taken real notice a few days earlier.15.29Reuters has a report on the Ukrainian officer who was wounded. A Ukrainian officer was wounded in a shooting at a military facility on the outskirts of the Crimean capital Simferopol, a military spokesman said, but it was unclear who was behind the incident."An officer was wounded in the neck," said Vladislav Seleznyov, a Ukrainian military spokesman in Crimea.Many Ukrainian military facilities in Crimea have been under the control of Russian forces for several weeks after Russian troops poured into the Black Sea peninsula ahead of a referendum at the weekend which handed over control from Ukraine to Russia.There was no immediate evidence that Russian soldiers were involved in the incident, witnesses said.15.17This photo has emerged on Twitter- the caption translates as "brothers".15.15A Ukrainian officer has reportedly been wounded in a shooting at a military base in the Crimean capital of Simferopol according to the Ukrainian military spokesman. According to Reuters troops are storming a Ukrainian base.15.12Putin apparently concluded his speech on Red Square by shouting "Glory to Russia".15.04Putin has told a crowd in Moscow's Red Square that Crimea has "returned to home port".14.55"The steps taken by President Putin today to attempt to annex Crimea to Russia are in flagrant breach of international law and send a chilling message across the continent of Europe," Cameron said in a statement."It is completely unacceptable for Russia to use force to change borders, on the basis of a sham referendum held at the barrel of a Russian gun."President Putin should be in no doubt that Russia will face more serious consequences and I will push European leaders to agree further EU measures when we meet on Thursday," he said.14.51Prime Minister David Cameron has said that Russia will face serious consequences for "completely unacceptable" attempt to annex Crimea.14.40People react as they watch the speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin on a screen in central Sevastopol:EPA14.38AFP is reporting that the Ukraine president has said Kiev will never recognise Crimea annexation.14.37Here is William Hague addressing the House of Commons over Crimea:14.36The G7 meeting next week will take place on the margins of a nuclear security summit at The Hague that U.S. President Barack Obama plans to attend."The meeting will focus on the situation in Ukraine and further steps that the G7 may take to respond to developments and to support Ukraine," said White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.14.35Putin signing the treaty to incorporate Crimea in Russia:14.32A woman walks past a Russian military personnel carrier outside a Ukrainian military base in Simferopol:Getty Images14.30This from Raf Sanchez in Washington:George W Bush famously said in 2001 that when he met Putin: "I was able to get a sense of his soul, a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country."His predecessor, Bill Clinton, yesterday outlined a less charitable view on the Russian leader:He is highly intelligent, deeply, deeply patriotic in terms of Russia, but he sees it more in terms of the greatness of the state and the country than what happens to ordinary Russians. I think hes got a sort of fatalistic view of the misfortunes that befall ordinary people when larger things are at stake.14.28David Cameron defended the actions taken against Russia over Crimea:14.26An elderly man displays his medals to the press during an open air recruits point of the National guard in the center of Kiev:AFP/GETTY IMAGES14.23Putin's speech earlier criticised Western nations for their hypocrisy saying they had endorsed Kosovo's independence from Serbia but now denied Crimeans the same right:"You cannot call the same thing black today and white tomorrow," he declared to stormy applause, saying that while he did not seek conflict with the West, Western partners had "crossed the line" over Ukraine and behaved "irresponsibly".14.09French president Francois Hollande has condemned the decision by Putin to sign the Crimea treaty. According to Reuters he said:"I condemn this decision. France does not recognise either the results of the referendum ... or the attachment of this Ukrainian region to Russia," Hollande said in a statement."The next European Council meeting on March 20-21 must provide the opportunity for a strong and coordinated European response to the hurdle that has just been jumped."14.0413.59The United States and its G7 allies will gather next week at The Hague to consider further response to Russia's attempt to absorb Ukraine's Crimea region, the White House saidThe meeting will take place on the margins of a nuclear security summit at The Hague that U.S. President Barack Obama plans to attend.13.54Young Ukrainian volunteers wearing traditional flower crowns serve refreshments to passers by at an improvised open air kitchen in Independence Square:EPA13.48Thoughts from our Moscow correspondent Roland Oliphant:Vladimir Putin cast the accession of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation as not only the reversal of an artificial division akin to the reunification of Germany, but the moment an unjust post-Cold War settlement began to be reversed.But just where does that reversal stop?Mr Putin's speech announcing the formal annexation of Crimea was largely a catalogue of wrongs he feels has been inflicted on Russia - and indeed on the entire former Soviet Union - since the collapse in 1991.He did not make any explicit threat to intervene in Eastern Ukraine - indeed he insisted that he neither wants nor needs a partition of Ukraine. But the determination to assert Russians' "legitimate interests," and to overturn the status quo that has reigned for the past 23 years will leave governments not only in Kiev, but capitals across the former Soviet Union, feeling somewhat nervous.13.43US vice president Joe Biden denounced Russia's actions in Crimea as a "land grab":"The world has seen through Russia's actions and has rejected the flawed logic,"13.41Britain's suspension of bilateral military co-operation includes cancelling a planned French-Russian-UK-United States naval exercise and suspending a proposed Royal Navy ship visit to St Petersburg.Hague also said Britain would be pushing for the strongest possible package of further sanctions against Russia that could be agreed among European leaders when the European Union council meets later this week.13.28A bit more from Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk who said that Russia's intervention in Crimea cannot be accepted."Russia's annexation of Crimea can't be accepted by the international community including Poland. In one moment this changes the country's (Ukraine) borders and the geopolitical situation in this region of the world," Tusk said at a joint news conference with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.13.24Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that Britain will suspend military cooperation with Russia. This means that Uk has suspended export licenses for military items to Russia.13.20Ukraine does not recognise a treaty signed in Moscow on Tuesday making its Crimean peninsula a part of Russia, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said."The signing of the so-called agreement on Crimea joining the Russian Federation and the corresponding address by the Russian president has nothing in common with law or democracy or common sense," ministry spokesman Evhen Perebynis said on Twitter."Putin's address very clearly demonstrates just how real the threat is that Russia poses to international security and international security," he said.13.12Just in from Reuters on US vice president Joe Biden. He says that Russia will see additional sanctions from US and EU if it continues to annex Crimea.13.04Poland's Prime Minister says that the annexation of Crimea by Russia cannot be accepted by the international community.12.56Reuters reports that Foreign Secretary William Hague says he regrets that Putin has chosen the route to isolation by moving to incorporate Crimea into Russia. He adds that there is a grave danger that a provocation elsewhere in Ukraine could be used as a pretext for further military escalation.12.52A bit more from Russia's foreign ministry on the sanctions imposed by the EU:"Attempts to speak to Russia in the language of force and threaten Russian citizens with sanctions will lead nowhere," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement."The adoption of restrictive measures is not our choice; however, it is clear that the imposition of sanctions against us will not go without an adequate response from the Russian side."12.27AFP is reporting that the Kremlin now considers Crimea part of Russia following the signing of the treaty:"The Republic of Crimea is considered to be part of Russia from the date of the signing of the treaty," the Kremlin said, minutes after President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty with Crimean leaders on bringing the Russian-speaking region under Kremlin rule.12.20The agreement to make Crimea part of Russia still has to be endorsed by Russia's Constitutional Court and ratified by both houses of parliament to take effect. However those steps are considered mere formalities.12.16Staff watch a speech by Russian President Putin at a pizza restaurant in SimferopolREUTERS12.07Reuters reports that Putin says Western attempts to frighten Russia with sanctions over its takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region would be viewed as an act of aggression, and that Moscow would retaliate.12.02Putin has signed a treaty making Crimea part of Russa according to Reuters.11.55This from our reporter in Moscow, Katerina Kravtsova:The atmosphere in the Kremlin ahead of the speech was festive, with Russian officials seem not to worry about EU-US sanctions against them and congratulating each other instead for results of the Sunday referendum in Crimea."The [Sunday] referendum is of a vital and historical importance," Mr Putin said, adding that Russia was intending to defend its national interests despite reaction of the Western countries.Calling Crimea a historically Russian region and Sevastoplol the motherland of Russia's Black Sea military fleet, he said the peninsula was given to Ukraine by a mistake like a "sack of potatoes."Putin said Russia did not send its troops to Crimea, because the 25,000 Russian soldiers had already been allocated there according to an international treaty."Crimea will remain both Russian and Ukrainian," he said but added it would never be given to the current Kiev authorities and legally must be under Moscow rule."I ask the Federation Council members and Duma deputies to approve a law that would make Crimea and Sevastopol parts of Russia," he said.11.52Putin asks parliament to adopt bill on making Crimea Russian territory. Crimea is officially Russian- to Russia. It is still officially part of Ukraine for the rest of the international community.11.49Putin says that he will never seek to spark a confrontation with the west but will defend Russian interests.11.48Putin thanks China for support on Ukraine. He has had several standing ovations during his speech so far.11.4611.44This from Damien McElroy:In advance of President Putin's speech, the prime minister of Ukraine made his own overtures to the Russian-leaning regions of the east not to follow Crimea's path.

In a key concession he ruled out an alliance with Nato, addressing one of the prime suspicions of Kiev in the east.Andriy Yatsenyuk also said Kiev was prepared to grant broad autonomy to the eastern regions. Speaking in Russian he said that powers over education, policing and cultural affairs would be transferred to locally elected decision makers.11.42Putin says that United States' foreign policy is dictated not by international law but by the "right of the strong".11.41Putin: Ukraine and Russia "one nation". He adds "We will not be able to live without each other."11.39Putin addressing a joint session of the Russian parliamentREUTERS11.31Putin condemns the "so-called" authorities in Ukraine saying they had stolen power in a coup and had opened the way for "extremists" who would stop at nothing to determine the future of Ukraine."Those who were behind recent events, they were ... preparing a coup d'etat, another one. They were planning to seize power, stopping at nothing. Terror, murder, pogroms were used," he told a joint session of parliament, calling them "nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites"."It is primarily they how are deciding how Ukraine lives today. The so-called Ukrainian authorities introduced a scandalous law on the revision of the language policy, which directly violated the rights of the national minorities."11.29Putin: Crimea's move similar to Ukraine's 1991 declaration of independence from Soviet Union.11.28Putin: "Relations with Ukraine and the brotherly Ukrainian people have always been, remain, and will always be most important and crucial for us, without any exaggeration,"11.27"There was not one single military confrontation in Crimea- there were no victims."11.24Putin talking about US and the west, "They say we have violated international law. At least they remember about international law- better late than never."11.22Putin says Crimea was and is 'inseparable' part of Russia11.20"In the hearts and minds of people, Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia. This commitment, based on truth and justice, was firm, was passed from generation to generation."11.17Putin promises legal "rehabilitation" of Tatars over Stalin era deportations.11.15French foreign minister Laurent Fabius says that Russia has been suspended from the G-8 summit, but that Putin is still invited.11.13Putin says that the Crimean referendum was held in full accordance with democratic procedures and international law.11.11Putin: "We are very respecful of all ethnic groups who live in Crimea". There will be three state languages, Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tata"11.0911.07There is lots of clapping in this joint session of parliament. Crimea is "part of our ancient history" Putin says.11.06Putin calls the referendum of "vitally important historic significance". He says more than 8 2 per cent of voters took part, and the results were "more than convincing" with more than 96 per cent of people voting to join Russia11.05Putin is now addressing Russia from Moscow. He gets a standing ovation.11.03Reuters reports that an aide to President Vladimir Putin scoffed at Western sanctions against Russian officials over Moscow's takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region, saying on Tuesday they provoked only "irony and sarcasm.""We are fed up with these sanctions, they provoke only feelings of irony and sarcasm," Yuri Ushakov, Putin's senior foreign policy advisor, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.10.43The latest from Roland Oliphant:While Vladimir Putin speaks in Moscow, Simferopol's Tatar community is preparing to bury a man apparently murdered after taking part in a protest in the run-up to the referendum.Reshat Ametov, a 39 year old construction worker, disappeared after protest on Simferopol's Lenin square on March 3. Relatives have told Human Rights Watch that he was last seen being led away from the square by men in camouflage uniforms.His body was found near the town of Belogosk,30 kilometres east of Simferopol, on Sunday, and identified by his relatives on Monday. Police said the death had been registered as violent. Local media have reported that there were clear tape marks around his wrists.He is expected to be buried at a Simferopol cemetery this afternoon.10.35Ukraine's new pro-Western leadership is not seeking membership of Nato according to Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk.10.32Russia is on the defensive over sanctions imposed by the West. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin criticised France for saying it could consider cancelling a 1.2 billion euro helicopter-carrier contract with Moscow if the Ukraine crisis continues.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius raised the possibility of scrapping the deal on Monday if further sanctions are announced against Moscow over its seizure of control of Ukraine's Crimea region."France is starting to undermine confidence in it as a reliable provider in the very sensitive sector of military and technical cooperation," Rogozin, who oversees the military sector, said on Twitter.10.13Meanwhile on Monday the United States and the European Union on Monday announced asset freezes and other sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian officials involved in the Crimean crisis. President Barack Obama warned that more would come if Russia didn't stop interfering in Ukraine.10.03Here is Joe Biden arriving for talks in Warsaw:AFP/Getty Images09.53AP is reporting that Putin has approved a draft bill for the annexation of Crimea, one of a flurry of steps to formally take over the Black Sea peninsula.The treaty to annex Crimea has to be signed by leaders of Russia and Crimea, approved by the Constitutional Court and then be ratified by the parliament.Putin is set to address both houses of the parliament at 3 p.m. Moscow time (1100 GMT) in a nationally televised speech where he is widely expected to stake Russia's claim on Crimea.Meanwhile the State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning sanctions which targeted Russian officials including members of the chamber.Russian politicians dismissed the sanctions as insignificant and a badge of honour. The chamber urged President Barack Obama to extend the sanctions to all the 353 deputies who had voted for the resolution.09.48Armed soldiers without identifying insignia keep guard outside of a Ukrainian military base in the town of Perevevalne near the Crimean city of Simferopol:Spencer Platt/ Getty09.40Just in from our Moscow correspondent Roland Oliphant. He says it looks likely that Russian president Vladimir Putin will announce the annexation of Crimea in just over an hour's time:"There are organised street parties/demonstrations across Russia in support of Crimea already - they've already started in Vladivostok - and it seems like Red Square is going to be like Edinburgh on Hogmanay tonight.There is a truce with Russian forces until Friday, but what happens after that is anyone's guess. Kiev said last night that it would not withdraw its troops or hand over Crimea, but I still don't see a fight happening.Seems like some Ukrainians may slip away in civilian clothes, while others may just resign their commissions so they can stay with their families here."09.38A man with two children hold the Russian flag on the coast of the bay of Sevastopol, Crimea:Zurab Kurtsikidze/ EPA09.35AP reports that Joe Biden has arrived in Poland on a trip designed to show U.S. resolve against Russia's intervention in neighboring Ukraine.He planned to meet there with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Bronislaw Komorowski. He'll also meet with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.09.30Good morning and welcome to our live blog on the Ukraine crisis. Tory former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has branded the international response to the crisis "pathetic".He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "This is the most dangerous crisis we have faced and it's a crisis for Europe, not just for Ukraine."Already Russian troops have occupied the whole of Crimea, part of the territory of another country. If the reports are correct, they are about to annexe that territory to Russia - first time since 1945 that something of that kind has happened."All that the international community have done so far is implement visa sanctions and asset freezes on 22/ 23 individuals."That is a pathetic response."Sir Malcolm said President Putin's "real target" was to effectively control the former Soviet nations on the federation's border."They won't be formally all incorporated in Russia, I'm not saying that, but he wants to effectively make them Russian dependencies that have to do(CNN)-- Russia showed no signs of backing down Monday even as world leaders threatened sanctions and sternly rebuked the country for sending troops into Ukraine.At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss the unfolding crisis, Ukraine's envoy asked for help, saying that Russia had used planes, boats and helicopters to flood the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea with 16,000 troops in the past week."So far, Ukrainian armed forces have exercised restraint and refrained from active resistance to the aggression, but they are in full operational readiness," Ukrainian Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev said.As diplomats at the meeting asked Russia to withdraw its troops and called for mediation to end the crisis, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin insisted his country's aims were preserving democracy, protecting millions of Russians in Ukraine and stopping radical extremists.He said ousted President Viktor Yanukovych remains Ukraine's elected leader and has asked Russia to send troops.Ex-prime minister calls on world to actHow will the West respond to Ukraine?NATO calls emergency meeting on UkraineObama to Russia: 'There will be costs'The Russian envoy read a letter from Yanukovych at the U.N. meeting, describing Ukraine as a country "on the brink of civil war," plagued by "chaos and anarchy.""People are being persecuted for language and political reasons," the letter said. "So in this regard, I would call on the President of Russia, Mr. Putin, asking him to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to establish legitimacy, peace, law and order, stability and defending the people of Ukraine."U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said Russia's claims about the situation in Ukraine are untrue and warned that sending military forces "could be devastating."Yanukovych, she said, abandoned his post last month and was then voted out of office by Ukraine's democratically elected parliament."Russian military action is not a human rights protection mission," Power said. "It is a violation of international law."Earlier Monday,global stocks slipped on fears things could get worse, and diplomats grasped for a way to stop the situation from escalating.British Foreign Secretary William Hague called the situation Europe's most serious crisis of the still-young 21st century.And U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States is examining a series of economic and diplomatic steps to "isolate Russia," and he called on Congress to work with his administration on an economic assistance package for Ukraine.Tensions mountIn Crimea, more Russian troops arrived, surrounding military posts and other facilities and taking effective control of the peninsula from Ukrainian authorities. What they planned to do next remained unclear.Analysts told CNN the apparently growing presence of Russian troops in Crimea means there's a risk the tense standoff could escalate."There are lots of unintended consequences when you have armed men staring at each other in places like you do in Crimea," said Michael McFaul, the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia. "So I think we all need to be very vigilant and worry about the worst case scenario, because it's no one's interest ... to see all out civil war in this country in the heart of Europe of 50 million people."Putin's moves into Ukraine come as the Russian leader struggles to deal with a political crisis in the neighboring country that didn't unfold as his government hoped, according to Russia analyst Jill Dougherty, formerly CNN's Moscow bureau chief."Putin has been trying to figure out what to do. So now he's taking these steps," Dougherty said. "And I think that he probably thinks that they're carefully calibrated. But he really is playing with fire."Tensions rise even higher in UkraineUkraine PM: 'This is a red alert'How will the West respond to Ukraine?In one ominous incident, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman said the commander of Russia's Black Sea fleet boarded a blocked Ukrainian warship and issued a threat."Swear allegiance to the new Crimean authorities, or surrender, or face an attack," he said, according to the spokesman, Vladislav Seleznyov.But a spokesman for the Russian Black Sea Fleet said there are no plans to storm Ukrainian military units in Crimea, according to the state-run Interfax news agency.And one Crimean official has reportedly described the situation there as quiet.Despite the assurances, stocks fell around the world, with Russian stocks leading the way as investors parsed the day's developments. Markets declined in Asia, Europe and the United States, where the benchmark Dow Jones fell 153 points Monday.State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that sanctions against Russia weren't just possible, but likely.Ukraine's shaky new government has mobilized troops and called up military reservists.In Kiev, interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has accused Moscow of declaring war, vowed that his West-leaning government would not give up the region."Nobody will give Crimea away. ... There are no grounds for the use of force against civilians and Ukrainians, and for the entry of the Russian military contingent," he said. "Russia never had any grounds and never will."A strange scene: Somewhat polite standoff in CrimeaIf judged by the numbers, Ukraine's military loses war with RussiaWorried WestThe tensions have worried the West, and Russia's G8 partners have condemned Moscow's military buildup in Crimea. The world's seven major industrialized powers also suspended preparations for the G8 summit in Sochi, Russia, in June.Their finance ministers announced some economic support for cash-strapped Ukraine.Putin defies U.S. warning about UkraineLawmaker speaks of blood-soaked soil"We are also committed to mobilize rapid technical assistance to support Ukraine in addressing its macroeconomic, regulatory, and anti-corruption challenges," the finance ministers said in a written statement.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, due in Kiev Tuesday, said several foreign powers are looking at economic consequences if Russia does not withdraw its forces.The United States has suspended upcoming trade and investment talks with Russia due to the events in Ukraine, a spokesman for the U.S. trade representative said Monday.Obama said Monday that Russia should consider international condemnation of its military moves in Ukraine, adding that "over time, this will be a costly proposition" due to sanctions and isolation that will result if the situation continues or worsens.Kerry will offer Ukraine a "specific" package of U.S. economic aid when he travels to Kiev for talks Tuesday, Obama said.German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Putin had accepted a proposal to establish a "fact-finding mission" to Ukraine, possibly under the leadership of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and to start a political dialogue.How is the rest of the world reacting?East vs. WestUkraine, a nation of 45 million people sandwiched between Europe and Russia's southwestern border, has been in chaos since Yanukovych was ousted on February 22 after bloody street protests that left dozens dead and hundreds wounded.Anti-government demonstrations started in late November, when Yanukovych spurned a deal with the EU, favoring closer ties with Moscow instead.Ukraine has faced a deepening split, with those in the west generally supporting the interim government and its European Union tilt, while many in the east prefer a Ukraine where Russia casts a long shadow.Nowhere is that feeling more intense than in Crimea, the last big bastion of opposition to the new political leadership. Ukraine suspects Russia of fomenting tension in the autonomous region that might escalate into a bid for separation by its Russian majority.Ukrainian leaders and commentators have compared events in Crimea to what happened in Georgia in 2008. Then, cross-border tensions with Russia exploded into a five-day conflict that saw Russian tanks and troops pour into the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as Georgian cities. Russia and Georgia each blamed the other for starting the conflict.Moscow has defended its parliament's approval of Putin's use of military force to protect its citizens in the Crimean Peninsula, an autonomous region of eastern Ukraine with strong loyalty to Russia.But Ukraine's ambassador to the U.N. says Russia's reasoning for a possible invasion is fake."There is no evidence that the Russian ethnic population or Russian-speaking population is under threat," Sergeyev told CNN.The Russian parliament, or Duma, is also considering a law that would allow for the annexation of Crimea, according to the parliament's website."Now they are trying to create new legal basis to prove annexation of the territory they're now occupying," Sergeyev said.Ukraine's military says an officer has been killed in an attack on a base in Crimea, the first such death since pro-Russia forces took control in February.Ukraine has now authorised its troops to fire in self-defence.The attack came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Crimea signed a bill to absorb the peninsula into Russia.Western powers condemned the treaty and a G7 and EU crisis meeting has been called for next week in The Hague.The Ukrainian crisis began in November last year after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned an EU deal in favour of stronger ties with Russia. He fled Ukraine on 22 February after protests in which more than 80 people were killed.'Military stage'An eyewitness told the BBC that armed men arrived in two unmarked vehicles, storming the base in Simferopol and firing automatic weapons.

Putin told Russia's parliament Crimea had "always been part of Russia"The Ukrainian government said a junior officer who was on duty in a park inside the base had been killed and another officer injured. A third serviceman had leg and head injuries after being beaten with iron bars, it said.The government said the commander of the unit was captured by men wearing Russian uniforms.Continue reading the main storyCrisis timeline 21 Nov 2013:President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal Dec:Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square 20-21 Feb 2014:At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes 22 Feb:Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election 27-28 Feb:Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea 6 Mar:Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia 16 Mar:Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum 17 Mar:Crimean parliament declares independence and formally applies to join Russia Ukraine crisis timelineDefence ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov told Reuters the attack was by "unknown forces, fully equipped and their faces covered".The Ukrainians had had their IDs, weapons and money confiscated, he said.Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told an emergency government meeting: "The conflict is shifting from a political to a military stage."Russian soldiers have started shooting at Ukrainian military servicemen and that is a war crime."Reports from the Crimean news agency, Kryminform, said a pro-Russia defence force member had been shot dead.Crimean police later said both Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces had been fired on from a single location and that one Ukrainian was killed and one injured, and one pro-Russian was killed and one injured.None of the accounts can be independently confirmed.The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Simferopol, says up until now only warning shots have been fired amid a truce - but it appears the tension has boiled over and there are fears that further clashes could follow.'Glory to Russia'Earlier, Mr Putin told Russia's parliament that Crimea had "always been part of Russia" and in signing the treaty he was righting a "historical injustice".After Mr Putin's speech a huge "We are together" rally was held in Moscow's Red SquareA sailor stands guard on Ukraine's Slavutych military ship in SevastopolPro-Russia supporters gathered in Sevastopol in Crimea as President Putin's speech was relayedThe BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says an audience of loyalists rose to their feet on several occasions, as Mr Putin accused Western countries of constantly trying to push Russia into a corner and of being hypocrites.But our correspondent says there were conciliatory words, too - Mr Putin stressed Russia did not want to "divide" the rest of Ukraine.The president later appeared before crowds in Moscow's Red Square, telling them: "Crimea and Sevastopol are returning to... their home shores, to their home port, to Russia!"He shouted "Glory to Russia" as the crowds chanted "Putin!"Continue reading the main storyAt the scenePatrick JacksonBBC News, SevastopolNakhimov Square may not have been packed out for the broadcast of Vladimir Putin's speech but the numbers were decent and the mood good-humoured. Small children cut arcs in the air with the Russian tricolour as their parents' faces creased into smiles in the sunshine.The striking thing was the relaxed mood. Security was minimal and nobody seemed bothered by the media presence now. Presumably supporters of union felt they had got their result and could breathe easy.Afterwards families headed down to the nearby quays to photograph each other against the picturesque backdrop of the bay, tricolours in hand. The waterfront, scene of many tragic chapters in this city of sieges, is a happy place this afternoon. Waking up in a different CrimeaThe predominantly ethnic-Russian region of Crimea held a referendum on Sunday in which it said 97% of voters had backed joining Russia.Crimea's leaders declared independence on Monday and Russia acknowledged it as a nation.'Land grab'Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov said Russia's actions were reminiscent of Nazi Germany's takeover of Austria and the Sudetenland.The Ukrainian foreign ministry said: "We do not recognise and never will recognise the so-called independence or the so-called agreement on Crimea joining the Russian Federation."Western powers have declared the Crimea referendum illegal and roundly condemned Tuesday's treaty.US Vice-President Joe Biden, speaking earlier in Poland, said Russia's involvement in Crimea was "a brazen military incursion" and its annexation of the territory was "nothing more than a land grab" by Moscow.The White House said Monday's round of targeted sanctions on Ukrainian and Russian officials by the US and EU would be expanded."This action - the results of the referendum and the attempt to annex a region of Ukraine - will never be recognised by the United States and the international community," spokesman Jay Carney said.

President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Ukrainian soldiers need to make a choice about joining the Crimean forces or leaving the peninsulaUK Prime Minister David Cameron said: "It is completely unacceptable for Russia to use force to change borders on the basis of a sham referendum held at the barrel of a Russian gun."German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the referendum, the declaration of independence and Crimea's "absorption into the Russian Federation" were "against international law".Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said there was "no justification" for Russia to continue on its "dangerous path".