CNN reports the Russian upper house approves use of military force in Ukraine. The vote came in response to President Vladimir Putin's request to "restore order" in Ukraine.
Simferopol, Ukraine (CNN) -- Russia's upper house of parliament voted unanimously Saturday to approve sending Russian military forces into Ukraine, amid mounting tensions in the country's Crimea region. ...
Due to the "extraordinary situation in Ukraine," Putin said, there are threats to the lives of Russian citizens and Russian military personnel based in the southern Crimean region.
The disputed new government of Ukraine issued a statement declaring Russia's actions as direct aggression.
"We perceive Russia's actions as direct aggression towards the sovereignty of Ukraine," said acting President Oleksandr Turchynov on the official Twitter account of his Fatherland party.
The Crimean region of Ukraine is predominately Russian speaking, and is Russia's access to the Black Sea where it has a major naval base.
President Obama and other western nation's have warned President Putin that there will be consequences to any military action it takes in the Ukraine.
9:07 AM PT: I'm not familiar with the reputation of the Kviv Post, however, they appear to have the most detailed explanation of current events in the Ukraine I've been able to find so far. They appear to have an anti-Russian political point of view. The Kviv Post says that Russia has already invaded the Crimean region, and asked for this parliamentary approval, after the fact.
Members of the Russian Federation Council said that the troops are needed to protect the safety of millions of ethnic Russians in Ukraine and that the soldiers should stay until "the constitutional order is restored in Ukraine," which hints at a possible Russian attempt to return to power Viktor Yanukovych, ousted as Ukraine's president on Feb. 22, or install another Kremlin-friendly leader. ...
Here's the wording of Putin's request: “Due to the extraordinary situation that has taken shape in Ukraine and the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, and the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation who are deployed on the territory of Ukraine (the Autonomous Republic of Crimea) under an international treaty, I hereby introduce, under Clause (g) of Part 1 of Article 2012 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, an appeal for the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the social and political situation in that country.”
Russian soldiers already were systematically taking charge of strategic locations on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula on March 1, with estimates of the number of troops or Russian-backed armed forces already on Ukrainian soil ranging from 6,000 and 28,000.
The takeover came as the Crimea's new pro-Russian prime minister, Sergei Aksenov, called for a referendum on March 30 to allow voters in the 2.2 million-population region to decide whether they want to remain in Ukraine, join Russia or form an independent state.
9:29 AM PT: CNN reports President Obama's remarks yesterday, saying Russia should not use military force in Ukraine.
"The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine," Obama said.
"We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine," Obama said. "Russia has a historic relationship with Ukraine, including cultural and economic ties, and a military facility in Crimea, but any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing, which is not in the interest of Ukraine, Russia, or Europe.
"It would represent a profound interference in matters that must be determined by the Ukrainian people."
"Throughout this crisis, we have been very clear about one fundamental principle: The Ukrainian people deserve the opportunity to determine their own future," he said.