Before our eyes, the history of this region is changing —#Putin recognised# Crimea as an independent state on Monday night, making it easier to incorporate into the Russian #Federation than if it were still #Ukrainian territory. [Crimea Annexation-4] The Guardian | 3/18/2014 1. Sevastopol square broke into Russian national anthem The city has special status within #Crimea and #Russia will officially welcome two new nations into its fold: Crimea, and the city of #Sevastopol. Thousands gathered in the city to watch Putins speech on a big screen in the main square and broke into the Russian national anthem when it was over. 2. Ratification of treaty to formalize Crimeas #annexation In #Simferopol, men on ladders removed the large gold Ukrainian-language lettering on the regional parliament. It is expected that in the coming months Crimea will switch to the rouble and introduce #Moscow time and the Russian visa system. Russia will begin ratification of the treaty to formalize Crimeas annexation within days. 3. Russia claims Ukrainian military on peninsula now illegal Crimean authorities have said that all Ukrainian military installations on the peninsula, including several bases, are now illegal and the soldiers must leave. Many have done so, but some remain. Ukrainian and Russian troops had agreed a ceasefire until Friday, and the circumstances of the shoot-out on Tuesday remain murky. 4. One soldier shot dead at Ukranian military base However, the death of a Ukrainian soldier was a reminder that there is potential for Russias annexation to turn bloody. Russian soldiers have been active in Crimea in recent weeks, despite Kremlin claims to the contrary, and often act in consort with local informal militias. There were reports that a local militia member had also been shot dead in the clash and another injured. 5. West struggles to catch up Russias moves The west was struggling to respond to Moscows moves, with initial sanctions clearly having no real effect except to galvanise Moscow in its feeling of victimisation. Barack Obama is to spend most of next week in Europe for a couple of international summits that will now turn into emergency meetings about Russia and Ukraine. 6. G7 summit emergency meeting invites Putin The White House called for an emergency meeting of the G7 countries on Ukraine to be held on the fringes of a summit in The Hague devoted to nuclear security. Russia is also invited to the summit, raising the possibility of a first face-to-face confrontation between Putin and western leaders in the crisis. 7. Changing geopolitical situation in this region The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned of major and long-lasting consequences from Putins actions, which had changed the borders of states overnight. It changes the geopolitical situation in this part of the world, he said. Before our eyes, the history of this region is changing. ▶Read in full on The Guardian: theguardian/world/2014/mar/18/putin-confirms-annexation-crimea-ukrainian-soldier-casualty
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 03:34:26 +0000
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