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Putin Asks Parliament to Approve Military Action in Ukraine

Stop NATO
March 1, 2014

1) Putin asks parliament to approve military action in Ukraine
2) Putin’s letter on use of Russian army in Ukraine goes to upper house
3) Russian parliamentarians call on Putin to act in Crimea
4) Federation Council committees support Putin’s letter on use of army in Ukraine
5) Russia may send limited armed force to Crimea to protect Russian citizens, Black Sea Fleet:
Federation Council chair
6) Crimean leader appeals to Putin
7) Amid escalation fears, Russia says Kiev sent fighters to Crimea
8) Russia’s Black Sea Fleets agrees with Crimean authorities on joint guard

1)

Russian Information Agency Novosti
March 1, 2014

Putin Asks Parliament to Approve Military Action in Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has requested approval from the country’s upper house of parliament to move armed forces into Ukraine, according to the Kremlin’s press service.

The move comes after reports of large Russian troop movements in the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, and a week after the opposition swept to power in Kiev when President Viktor Yanukovych suddenly left the city.

Putin, who has yet to speak publicly about the crisis in Ukraine, requested permission to use military force because of a threat to the lives of Russian citizens and danger posed to Russian military forces located in naval bases in Crimea, according to the Kremlin.

Russian troops will remain deployed until the “political-social situation in the country is normalized,” the Kremlin said.

The approval of the Federation Council…is required to use Russian forces outside the country’s boRders.

Putin and members of the Russian government will attend a special session of the chamber in order to receive the approval, according to state-owned television channel Rossiya 24.

Putin will address the Federation Council as part of the deliberations, Rossiya 24 said.

The recently appointed Prime Minister of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov said Saturday that troops from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were already deployed across the peninsula to guard strategically important sites.

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2)

Itar-Tass
March 1, 2014

Putin’s letter on use of Russian army in Ukraine goes to upper house

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, March 1, sent to the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, a letter on the use of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine pending the resolution of the current political crisis in that country.

“In connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed in the territory of Ukraine (Autonomous Republic of Crimea) in accordance with an international treaty, and pursuant to Article 102-1(d) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I hereby submit to the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation a letter on the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the territory of Ukraine pending normalisation of the public and political situation in that country,” the presidential press service said.

Putin also appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin to be his official representative in the Federation Council when it considers his letter.

Earlier in the day, the Federation Council asked Putin to take “exhaustive measures” to protect Russians in Ukraine.

“We have urgently summoned the house Council and thought it necessary to make a statement assessing the current situation in Ukraine,” Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said.

She said a group of Russian senators, who had visited Crimea, had informed their colleagues about the situation in the Ukrainian autonomy and specifically in Sevastopol, the home base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

“Today there is a real threat to the life and security of Russian citizens living in Ukraine. There is a threat to our military in Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet, and I think that Russia should not be a bystander,” she said.

The main purpose of the Federation Council’s appeal to the president is to urge him “to take exhaustive measures, all possible measures, to ensure the security of our citizens living in Ukraine, help our brotherly Ukrainian people achieve stabilisation and channel the current crisis into a civilised legal track so that the agreements that were signed by the opposition leaders and the head of state were implemented strictly,” Matviyenko said.

She noted that members of the Federation Council “asked the president to take exhaustive measures to prevent further escalation and put the resolution of the political crisis onto a legal track so that those who have grabbed power did not hurry so much and did not trample upon the rights of people and different regions of Ukraine.”

“The agreement [of February 21] clearly determined the sequence of steps. A constitutional reform first – it was supposed to be carried out with broad participation of public and political forces and regions in order to work out a consensus-based document that would be supported by all people in Ukraine. According to international practices, such serious documents should be adopted in a national referendum,” Matviyenko said.

Having expressed regret that this had not happened, she noted that “the speed with which presidential elections have been announced [in Ukraine] puts its legitimacy in question.”

“The agreement calls for forming a government of national accord, which means that it should include representatives of all political forces. In reality we see that the government, which was approved to the stomping of the Maidan, did not include all political forces and was formed from opposition parties only,” Matviyenko observed.

She also said that “the heads of regions were not summoned for consultation.” So “we can understand why there are protests in regions, except for Western regions of Ukraine,” she added.

Matviyenko called for finding “a calm, civilised and legal solution to the crisis” and stressed that “there is no need to demonstrate high political and diplomatic culture in this case because we can see that this is neither appreciated nor understood, and most importantly the security of people will not be ensured.

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3)

Russian Information Agency Novosti
March 1, 2014

Russian Parliamentarians Call on Putin to Act in Crimea

MOSCOW: The leaders of Russia’s upper and lower houses of parliament called Saturday on President Vladimir Putin to stabilize the situation in Crimea and protect Russian citizens.

The leader of Federation Council, Russia’s upper house, said the use of military force in the former Soviet nation could be justified after the opposition swept into power in Kiev last weekend.

“In this situation it would even be possible, on the request of the Crimean government, to bring in a limited contingent [of troops] to guarantee security,” Valentina Matviyenko said.

The partition of Ukraine has become increasingly likely in recent days as heavily armed men understood to be Russian soldiers have taken control of key facilities and blocked roads in Crimea.

About 60 percent of the residents of Ukraine’s southern peninsula are ethnic Russians with the remainder of the population made up of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, who largely support the incoming regime.

The State Duma, Russia’s lower house, released a similar statement Saturday that said must Putin bring the situation in Ukraine under control.

“All available means” should be deployed to protect Russian citizens, said Sergei Naryshkin, a former head of the presidential administration and the current parliamentery speaker in the Duma.

The Crimea has been visited by a series of Russian Duma deputies in recent days, including former boxing champion Nikolai Valuev, former figure skater Irina Rodnina, and the first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova.

Pro-Russian protests calling for secession have taken place sporadically across the southern and eastern Ukraine since President Viktor Yanukovuych was toppled from power a week ago.

Meanwhile, international media has reported widespread military movements, believed to be units from Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquartered in Crimea, including tanks and helicopters that began on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials have accused the Kremlin of provoking conflict and called on Russia to return all soldiers to their bases.

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4)

Itar-Tass
March 1, 2014

Federation Council committees support Putin’s letter on use of army in Ukraine

MOSCOW: The Committee on International Relations of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russian parliament, on Saturday, March 1, supported President Vladimir Putin’s appeal regarding the use of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine pending normalisation of the situation in the neighbouring country.

The Federation Council Committee on Security also supported the president’s appeal. Both committees advised the upper house to uphold it, Security Committee Chair Viktor Ozerov and International Relation Committee Chair Vladimir Dzhabarov said.

The Federation Council was summoned for an urgent meeting on Saturday to discuss Putin’s letter.

“In connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed in the territory of Ukraine (Autonomous Republic of Crimea) in accordance with an international treaty, and pursuant to Article 102-1(d) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I hereby submit to the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation a letter on the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the territory of Ukraine pending normalisation of the social and political situation in that country,” the president said in his letter to the Federation Council.

Earlier in the day, the Federation Council asked Putin to take “exhaustive measures” to protect Russians in Ukraine.

“We have urgently summoned the house Council and thought it necessary to make a statement assessing the current situation in Ukraine,” Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said.

“Today there is a real threat to the life and security of Russian citizens living in Ukraine. There is a threat to our military in Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet, and I think that Russia should not be a bystander,” she said.

The main purpose of the Federation Council’s appeal to the president is to urge him “to take exhaustive measures, all possible measures, to ensure the security of our citizens living in Ukraine, help our brotherly Ukrainian people achieve stabilisation and channel the current crisis into a civilised legal track so that the agreements that were signed by the opposition leaders and the head of state were implemented strictly,” Matviyenko said.

She noted that members of the Federation Council “asked the president to take exhaustive measures to prevent further escalation and put the resolution of the political crisis onto a legal track so that those who have grabbed power did not hurry so much and did not trample upon the rights of people and different regions of Ukraine.”

In accordance with Article 102-1(d) of the Russian Constitution, issues concerning the use of the Russian Armed Forces outside the country fall under the jurisdiction of the Federation Council, which considers them following the relevant request from the president.

The Federation Council debates such issues after studying the president’s request which should contain sound reasons for his proposal.

The Federation Council chair then sends the request to the upper house’s committee on defence and security and committee on international relations, which prepare their conclusions.

After that the Federation Council studies the possibility of using the Russian Armed Forces outside the country at its nearest sitting after receipt of the president’s request. The president and the prime minister are invited to attend the sitting which begins with a report delivered by the president himself or his representative, followed by the reading of the conclusions made by the Federation Council committees on defence and security and on international relations.

A decision allowing the use of the Russian Armed Forces outside the country is to be adopted by a majority of Federation Council members and is then formalised in a resolution of the upper house. The document is forwarded to the president within two days of its adoption.

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5)

Interfax
March 1, 2014

Russia may send limited armed force to Crimea to protect Russian citizens, Black Sea Fleet – Federation Council chair

MOSCOW: Russia may send a limited armed force to Crimea to ensure security of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Russian citizens staying there, Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko says.

“Perhaps in this situation we could grant the Crimean government’s request and send a limited contingent there to provide security of the Black Sea Fleet and Russian citizens living in Crimea,” Matviyenko said on Saturday.

At the same time, she admitted that “this decision surely rests with our president, the supreme commander-in-chief.”

“But, taking into account the situation, even this option cannot be ruled out. We should protect the people,” Matviyenko said.

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6)

Russian Information Agency Novosti
March 1, 2014

Crimean Leader Appeals to Putin, Confirms Russian Troop Presence

SIMFEROPOL: The Crimean Prime Minister said Saturday that Russian troops are operating on the Ukrainian peninsula and made a personal appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for more assistance.

The Kremlin said in a subsequent statement that it would not ignore the request for help.

Sergei Aksyonov, who was appointed prime minister after a parliamentary vote Thursday, said that an agreement was in place with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet for Russian soldiers to perform guard duties at strategic locations.

“We have established cooperation with the Black Sea Fleet to protect vitally important sites,” Aksyonov said during a Cabinet meeting.

There have been widespread reports of significant Russian military activity, including the movement of tanks, troops and helicopters, across the Crimea in recent days. But Russia has insisted that all the movements are allowed within the framework of a 1997 agreement with Ukraine about the use of naval bases.

“I am turning to Russian President Vladimir Putin to request assistance to preserve peace and calm,” said Aksyonov, who is the leader of Ukraine’s Russian Unity Party.

Aksyonov also announced that a referendum on the status of Crimea within Ukraine will be brought forward by almost two months, to March 30, and said that local security forces including the police and the army – which are usually commanded from Kiev – will be brought under his control.

The developments in Crimea appear to bring closer a possible partition of the former Soviet nation where a new government is struggling to control the country after the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych last week.

Putin has made no public comment on the current Ukrainian crisis since the opposition swept to power after months of street protests ended in a violent crackdown in which 82 people died.

The incoming authorities in Kiev have described developments in Crimea as an invasion, and interim president Oleksandr Turchynov told reporters late Friday that Russia was seeking to provoke conflict.

Crimea was transferred to the Ukrainian Republic by the Soviet leadership in 1954. Since the fall of Communism it has enjoyed a large degree of political autonomy within Ukraine, including its own prime minister.

About 60 percent of the population in Crimea identifies itself as ethnic Russian, with the remainder being Ukrainian or Crimean Tatar.

Pro-Russian groups and Tatars, who mostly support the new regime in Kiev, clashed outside the Crimean parliament Thursday during a confrontation in which at least two people died.

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7)

Russian Information Agency Novosti
March 1, 2014

Amid Escalation Fears, Russia Says Kiev Sent Fighters to Crimea

MOSCOW: Armed men dispatched from Kiev to the southern Ukrainian region of Crimea attempted an overnight storm of the local Interior Ministry, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

“As a result of this perfidious provocation several people were injured,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“This confirms that certain well-known political circles in Kiev are striving for the destabilization of the situation… we call on all those giving such orders from Kiev to show restraint.”

The allegation comes as international media report large scale Russian military movements in Crimea that have included tanks, helicopters and troops.

In recent days heavily armed soldiers in unmarked uniforms have occupied the region’s parliament, airports and other strategic points across the peninsula.

Reports from the regional capital of Simferopol on Saturday suggested that the military presence had been strengthened with the appearance of several manned machine gun positions around the parliament, which is flying the Russian flag after it was seized by unidentified gunmen earlier this week.

Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of seeking to provoke a conflict…

Russia maintains that any military movements in Crimea are within the framework of a 1997 agreement regulating its use of Black Sea naval bases on the peninsula that it leases from Ukraine.

Self-defense squads, which maintain that they will resist orders from Kiev, have been forming in the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine since the opposition swept to power in Kiev last weekend.

The Foreign Ministry said that the alleged assault on the Interior Ministry in Crimea on Saturday was fought off by some of these pro-Russian self defense squads. It did not specify which side suffered the casualties.

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8)

Itar-Tass
March 1, 2014

Source: Russia’s Black Sea Fleets agrees with Crimean authorities on joint guard

SIMFEROPOL: Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has agreed with the Crimean authorities on joint guard of the Fleet’s facilities, the Fleet’s press service reported on Saturday.

Earlier, Crimea’s Prime Minister Sergei Aksenov said the authorities controlled fully the situation in the autonomous republic. “We have established cooperation with the Black Sea Fleet in guard of vital facilities. Joint groups are working and I am sure they will be able to secure the order.

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