Read previous news on the topic:Ukrainian crisis: March 12
On March 1 Russian President Vladimir Putin secured permission from his parliament to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine and told U.S. President Barack Obama he had the right to defend Russian interests and nationals, spurning Western pleas not to intervene. While Russian military continues bloodlessly seizing Ukrainian military units and other objects in Crimea, Ukraine's security council ordered the general staff to immediately put all armed forces on highest alert. Thus, the Defence Ministry was ordered to stage a call-up of reserves.
Now everyone is waiting on whether Russia makes a military move in predominantly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow demonstrators have marched and raised Russian flags over public buildings in several cities in the last few days.
As of March 10 Russia has introduced around 20 thousands soldiers to the territory of Crimea, and their number keeps growing. Also, there are about 220 thousand Russian soldiers on the Russian side of the south-eastern borders of Ukraine and Crimea.
00:05. Canada will provide $220 million to Ukraine to promote the economic growth of the country, Canada's foreign minister John Baird wrote in his Twitter.
00:24. The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde said the IMF mission in Ukraine has been extended until March 21 to work with the Ukrainian authorities to develop a program of economic reforms.
00:44. Russian citizens who were slightly injured during clashes in Donetsk, frankly admitted to physicians providing them the first aid, that they were participants of the attack, Donetsk activists wrote on various social networks.
01:10. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Thursday evening promised to discuss an issue of expanding the powers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
08:24. The 'Batkivschyna' party MP Mykola Tomenko suggested depriving of their mandates of MPs who support the occupation of Crimea by Russia and are campaigning for a referendum, scheduled for March 16.
MPs supporting the Russian aggression must 'run for the State Duma', Tomenko noted.
08:41. Four organizers and instigators of the mass brawl after rallies in Donetsk, in which at least one person was killed, were detained by police tonight, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on Facebook.
08:53. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to send observers to Crimea to monitor the compliance of citizens' rights.
09:17. Three AutoMaidan activists - Alexey Gritsenko (eldest son of MP Anatoly Gritsenko), Sergey Suprun and Natalia Lukyanchenko - disappeared in Crimea last night, Anatoly Gritsenko wrote on his Facebook page.
According to his information, the monitoring system via mobile phone indicates that they are (at least their phones) in a territory of a military commissariat in Simferopol, Kyivska Street, 152, which was recently captured by Russian soldiers.
09:32. This morning an echelon with Russian military equipment moved from Kerch further inland into Crimea. There were 14 S-300 (anti-aircraft missile system), four communication APCs, five 'KamAZ' trucks, eight 'Ural' trucks, head of the Crimean media centre of the Defence Ministry Vladislav Seleznev wrote on Facebook.
According to him, at the moment a convoy of military equipment from the Russian Federation is moving towards Jankoi (Crimea), it's further direction of movement is unknown.
09:48. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has urged Russia and Ukraine to refrain from hostilities.
09:59. Former Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine Viktor Ratushnyak and former Commander of the Interior Troops of Ukraine Stanislav Shuljak have been issued a notification of suspicion of committing offences under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, reported the press service of the Prosecutor General.
According to the press service, Ratushnyak is under suspicion under Part 3. Art. 27, Part 2 Art. 15 and Part 3. Art 365 (complicity in a crime, attempted crime, abuse of power or authority) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and Shulyak - under Part 3. Art. 365 of the Criminal Code.
On March 12 a court gave permission to detain these individuals and deliver them to the court for choosing a preventive measure in a form of detention. They are on a wanted list.
10:09. Crimea may refuse from Ukrainian hryvnia as currency and move to Russian rubles by the end of this month, said First Deputy Prime Minister of the ARC Rustam Temirgaliev.
10:12. The Prosecutor General's Office has closed criminal proceedings against the Verkhovna Rada MP, former Yulia Tymoshenko's lawyer Serhiy Vlasenko, the press service of the Office reported.
10:48. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov requested the Interior Ministry to immediately find those responsible for clashes between pro-Russian activists and supporters of unity of Ukraine in Donetsk on March 12, which resulted in one death. As a result of the fight a 22-year-old resident of Donetsk died of a knife wound, another 17 people were hospitalized.
10:53. The State Duma has reduced the observer mission for the referendum scheduled in Crimea for March 16. Thus, only 20 members of the lower house of Russia's parliament will attend Crimea instead of 25 as it was planned earlier.
11:08. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Parliament, adopted a resolution number 4407 to hold early local elections in Cherkasy on May 25.
11:24. Ukraine's Parliament has allowed the Supreme Court to review the decisions of the Supreme Administrative Court. This will allow to execute the lustration of the judiciary.
11:32. Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani about Ukraine and expressed his appreciation of Tehran's 'constructive approach' in talks with six world powers on its nuclear program, reports Reuters.
A Kremlin statement said Putin had underlined to Rouhani that any solution to the Ukrainian crisis must take into account the interests and the will of people in all of the former Soviet state's regions.
11:40. The Security Service Of Ukraine has detained a self-proclaimed governor of Lugansk region, leader of a radical organization 'Lugansk Guard' Oleksandr Haritonov. l
11:51. A flag of the Naval Forces of Ukraine was set in a session hall of the Verkhovna Rada 'as a sign of gratitude to those soldiers who remain faithful to their oath'. The flag was brought to the hall by the 'UDAR' party leader Vitali Klitschko. MPs greeted this gesture with applauses.
11:54. Ukrainian border guards who were on patrol near the village of Chongar in Kherson region, have detained a Russian military, director of a Centre for Political and Military Studies Dmitry Timchuk wrote on his Facebook page. Ukrainians found weapons, uniform and body armor in his car.
12:02. Leader of the 'Batkivschyna' party, former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko met with former Russian political prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky in Berlin. Ex-prime minister thanked the Russian intelligentsia for their support to Ukraine.
12:11. The grain harvest in Ukraine this year will be about 1.5 million tons less than it could be due to failure of the sowing campaign in Crimea because of the invasion of Russian troops, resident of the Ukrainian Grain Association Volodymir Klimenko told journalists.
12:22. Deputy chairman of the 'Batkivshchyna' faction Andriy Ivanchuk today was accused of 'pressing buttons' during voting in the Verkhovna Rada.
12:24. Acting President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov instructed Kyiv City State Administration and the State Administrative department to dismantle a metal fence around the Presidential Administration's building to ensure free passage on Bankova Street in
12:39. The International Monetary Fund considers the openness of the Ukrainian authorities to reforms as a key factor that affects the selection of a new line of credit, Director of External Relations Department of the fund Jerry Rice stated in Washington.
12:51. The Russian Foreign Ministry has told its own version of a fight in Donetsk on March 13. Kyiv's authorities do not control the situation in the country, and thus Moscow reserves the right to take its compatriots in Ukraine under protection.
It should be noted, that there was not a single message that there were any Russian citizens among the participants or the victims of the clashes between pro-Russian activists and those supporting unity of Ukraine in Donetsk.
12:57. The Party of Regions wants to adopt a new Constitution before autumn-2014.
13:02. Policemen on March 14 detained Poltava mayor Oleksandr Mamay on suspicion of beating protesters at the City Hall, deputy head of the Poltava city police Georgiy Karpichenko said.
13:04. Tonight there was a fire in a biker club 'Night Wolves' in Moscow, which friendly to Russia's president Vladimir Putin. Bikers of this club actively participate in pro-Russian activities in Crimea and have been patrolling the cities there for the last few months.
13:53. Ukraine's parliament has adjourned a plenary session to 12:00 pm on March 15.
13:55. In connection with the tragic events of March 13 in the centre of Donetsk, Friday, March 14 was declared a day of mourning. The corresponding decree was signed by Chairman of Donetsk Regional State Administration Serhiy Taruta.
14:04. Ukraine plans to negotiate with the IMF on a new loan program till the end of March. Details of the new loan program remain unknown.
14:26. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine denies entry to the territory of Ukraine of organized militant groups from Russia. The Border guards ask the media not to spread unverified information.
14:40. About 40 former officials of the team of ex-president Viktor Yanukovich are in a wanted list of the Interior Ministry, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov told in an interview to LB.ua.
Besides the already known persons who are accused in a case of mass murder - Viktor Yanukovich, Vitaly Zakharchenko and Andriy Klyuyev - criminal cases have been filed in connection with financial fraud. Moreover, financial violations were found in all key Ministries, he added.
14:55. The main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia's North Caucasus Federal District has opened a criminal case against serving in the UNA-UNSO Igor Mazur, Valeri Bobrowich, Dmitry Korchinskiy, Andriy and Oleg Tyahnibok, Dmitry Yarosh, Volodymir Mamaliga and other persons not yet established, says a message on a website of Russia's Investigative Committee.
These Ukrainians are accused of the organization of a gang in Chechnya in 1994-1995.
15:04. Russia prevented Ukraine from performing an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation, because the formal agreement on a flight was accompanied with unenforceable conditions, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported.
15:18. A poll by a sociological group 'Rating' showed that 61% of Ukrainians believe the unitary state is the optimum type of government in Ukraine, a quarter (24%) would prefer a federal state. Another 15% are indecisive.
15:28. Acting President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov on Friday visited a complex tactical exercises of the Land Forces, and afterwards stressed that the Ukrainian army is ready to protect the country, reported the press service of the President.
15:29. The European Union has drawn up a list of 120-130 names of senior Russian officials who could be subjected to travel bans and asset freezes as part of EU sanctions, European officials told Reuters on Friday, reports Reuters.
The list, which runs to five pages, was drawn up by diplomats who have experience in Russia and was supplied to EU officials in Brussels, who will discuss the names and whittle the list down ahead of a foreign ministers' meeting on Monday.
One EU official who has a copy of the list said it contained the names of generals and other people from the top echelons of Russia's military and political establishment.
EU member states are discussing whether to start by sanctioning as many people as possible from the list in a preventative way, or else take a more cautious approach and add names from the list to the sanctions in several steps.
15:31. Two people from a gang, suspected of kidnapping Euromaidan activists Yury Lutsenko and Igor Verbitsky and the murder of the latter, are directly related to former Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko. An investigation of massacres is much more complicated, Interior Ministry Arsen Avakov. told in interview to LB.ua.
15:45. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called cynical a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia about the tragedy in Donetsk.
15:58. Head of Kharkiv Regional Administration Igor Balut after an emergency meeting with the security forces said that Kharkiv's authorities have information about preparation of a terrorist act in Kharkiv. He urged local residents to avoid massive meetings.
15:59. Ukrainian authorities and non-governmental organizations will boycott IV Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, scheduled for May 12-13 in Moscow because of the invasion of Russia in Ukraine.
16:14. The first 500 volunteers of a National Guard of Ukraine went on a 15-day exercises in the military base in a village of New Petrivtsi near Kyiv (pictures).
The National Guard is expected to consist of up to 60,000 people and their number may be increased by the Parliament.
16:28. On Friday people in Crimea are rallying against Russian military action in Crimea and for Ukraine's unity. In particular, about 500 people gathered at an entrance to Simferopol (pictures).
16:37. Russian military have captured 49 of 56 objects of the State Border Service of Ukraine in Crimea.
16:40. Rabbi Hillel Cohen was attacked by two unknown men in dark clothes in Podolsk district of Kyiv.
Kyiv's police has opened criminal proceedings in connection with the beating of this man, who is a Jewish volunteer of the 'Hatsala Ukraine' organization.
17:04. Generals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine urged Russian President-Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to immediately withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine to their permanent bases, says an appeal, signed by 15 Ukrainian generals, reported the press service of the Defence Ministry.
17:08. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov at a meeting with the Israeli Ambassador Reuven El Din said that there is no anti-Semitism in Ukraine, the press office of the Interior Ministry reported.
17:17. Ukraine's Constitutional Court during a closed session on Friday decided on the unconstitutionality of a referendum on the status of Crimea, reports LB.ua citing its own sources.
17:21. Ukraine's Parliament registered a bill number 4431 'On the Elimination of Administration of seaports, which now controls the infrastructure of Ukrainian ports'. All the property of this company is to be returned to the balance sheets of the state port operators, which were reorganized by the previous government.
17:26. Police identified three hundred active participants of the mass brawl in the centre of Donetsk on March 13, says a message on a website of the local Interior Ministry.
17:37. Representatives of the so-called 'Crimean self-defence' have started to come to Crimea a month ago, one of them told journalists on camera in Simferopol.
17:44. Russian Foreign Ministry said that Ukrainian border guard refuses entry to the territory of Ukraine to passengers of Russia's 'Aeroflot', and sent a note to the Ukrainian side. 49 Russian citizens were forced to fly back in a period since March 4 to March 14.
17:57. Unrecognised Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksenov said that the results of the referendum, scheduled for March 16, will be legitimate regardless of turnout. He also said he 'feels' that turnout will exceed 80%.
17:58. Russia has no plans to invade the south-east of Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
5-hour talks with John Kerry didn't eliminate the differences between the Russian Federation and the United States.
18:20. The U.S. and NATO will provide only technical assistance to the Ukrainian army, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on his return from the United States at the airport 'Borispol'.
In case of war Ukraine will have to rely only on itself, he added.
18:34. U.S. may give Ukraine another $600 million in financial aid in addition to the allocation of $1 billion, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at a press briefing at the airport 'Borispol' following his visit to the U.S.
19:05. Police established an identity of a killer of a pro-Ukrainian activist at a rally for unity of Ukraine in Donetsk on March 13, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on Facebook. The minister promises to find the culprit in the nearest future.
19:17. On March 14 at about 10 am a Russian citizen who was heading towards the Crimea was detained in the area of temporary checkpoint 'Chongar', reported by the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) (pictures).
During the personal search of a detainee police found AKS-74 with 5 magazines with live ammunition. He was dressed in a black unmarked SWAT uniform.
A foreigner also had several documents with different names. The SBU found a document which confirms that the detainee is a military intelligence officer of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, who performed espionage and sabotage tasks in Kherson region.
19:37. In Simferopol armed men kidnapped a chief of a local military hospital, head of the Crimean media center of the Defence Ministry Vladislav Seleznev wrote on Facebook.
19:46. Kharkiv District Administrative Court banned 'People's Chamber-referendum' on Freedom Square in Kharkiv, scheduled for March 16. The decision was taken in order to ensure the safety of citizens and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
19:54. A court of the Austrian federal province of Vienna decided to release the Ukrainian businessman Dmitry Firtash for a bail of €125 million for a period before his extradition to the U.S.
20:06. Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the situation in Ukraine in view of the upcoming referendum on the status of Crimea on March 16, reported the press service of the Kremlin.
In conversation Putin stressed that the decision to hold the referendum fully complies with international law and the UN Charter.
Putin and Ban Ki-moon agreed on further contacts.
20:20. There are 22 thousands Russian soldiers in Crimea right now, and this amount is enough for the military offensive beyond Crime, Acting Defence Minister Igor Tenyukh said.
20:38. 42 thousand people participated in peaceful protest against the referendum on the status of the Crimean autonomy scheduled for March 16, a member of the Presidium of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars Emine Avamileva stated. Representatives of various nationalities joined Tatars.
20:52. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has canceled a decision of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea adopted on March 11 'On the Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol'.
21:13. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that in the coming days he will continue to liaise with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the situation in Ukraine and other issues.
U.S. is ready to respect the interests of Russia, if Russia will respect the integrity of Ukraine, he said, adding that the decision on the response to a referendum 'will depend on what Putin will do on Monday'.
21:35. In Kharkiv Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has opened criminal proceedings on the fact of calls for a change of the territorial structure of Ukraine, the press service of the SBU reported.
21:42. In Donetsk unknown young men are storming a building of the Administrative Court, which is considering a lawsuit to ban demonstrations on Lenin Square, reported activist and lawyer Tatyana Ivanova on Facebook.
21:56. Russian military deployed an anti-missile system 'Bastion' in Crimea, Acting Defence Minister Igor Tenyukh stated. According to him, Ukrainian military is in full combat readiness.
22:25. Political part of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union will be signed on March 21, 2014, stated Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
22:46. Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia Juhan Parts confirmed the full readiness to work with the new government of Ukraine. He said this during a meeting with Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Pavlo Sheremet.
23:01. Russian authorities launched a full scale attack against a few independent media remaining in the country, blocking access to several Internet sites in Russia, reported the press office of the Amnesty International.
23:19. In Kharkiv pro-Russian activists attacked a building on Rymarskaya street, 18, where the offices of a few organizations are located, in particular the 'Prosvita' ('Enlightenment') and 'Patriot of Ukraine'.Accroding to Kharkiv Mayor Gennadiy Kernes, two people were killed, they both were policemen.
A Facebook-page of 'Euromaidan' community says that the attackers threw Molotov cocktails at the building. Explosions and gunshots could be head during the attack.
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