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| Ukraine crisis: US and Russia due to hold talks as Sergei Lavrov gives news briefing | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Reports have emerged claiming that Russian forces seized two Ukrainian missile defence battalions in the Crimea region this morning, after the US secretary of state John Kerry accused Moscow of seeking a pretext to invade more of the crisis-hit country. | Reports have emerged claiming that Russian forces seized two Ukrainian missile defence battalions in the Crimea region this morning, after the US secretary of state John Kerry accused Moscow of seeking a pretext to invade more of the crisis-hit country. |
| The Ukrainian Defence Ministry was unable immediately to confirm the reports by the Interfax news agency. | The Ukrainian Defence Ministry was unable immediately to confirm the reports by the Interfax news agency. |
| This morning, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated the Russian president's claim that they cannot order pro-Russian armed groups in Ukraine's Crimea region to return to their bases because they are "self-defence" forces and do not answer to Moscow. | This morning, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated the Russian president's claim that they cannot order pro-Russian armed groups in Ukraine's Crimea region to return to their bases because they are "self-defence" forces and do not answer to Moscow. |
| However, while speaking at the news conference in Madrid, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, adding that Moscow would like to see tensions de-escalate. | However, while speaking at the news conference in Madrid, Mr Lavrov said Moscow will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, adding that Moscow would like to see tensions de-escalate. |
| "If you mean the self-defence units created by residents of Crimea, we give them no orders, they take no orders from us," he told the news conference. | |
| "As for the military personnel of the Black Sea Fleet, they are in their deployment sites," Mr Lavrov said, referring to a Russian naval unit based in Crimea. "Yes, additional vigilance measures were taken to safeguard the sites." | |
| Meanwhile, as news of the alleged occupation surfaced, Ukrainian police have said they are clearing pro-Russian protesters from a government building in Donetsk, after demonstrators stormed the building on Monday and erected the Russian flag on the roof. | Meanwhile, as news of the alleged occupation surfaced, Ukrainian police have said they are clearing pro-Russian protesters from a government building in Donetsk, after demonstrators stormed the building on Monday and erected the Russian flag on the roof. |
| The eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk rejects Kiev’s authority and acted as a political support base of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. | The eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk rejects Kiev’s authority and acted as a political support base of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. |
| Mr Kerry is due to hold face-to-face talks with Mr Lavrov on easing east-west tensions in the country for the first time since the crisis in Ukraine has escalated. | Mr Kerry is due to hold face-to-face talks with Mr Lavrov on easing east-west tensions in the country for the first time since the crisis in Ukraine has escalated. |
| Their meeting will come after all five permanent members of the UN Security Council attend a conference in Paris. On Thursday, Nato and Russia will hold talks in Brussels to discuss the stand-off between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in Crimea and the possibility that Moscow may intervene. | Their meeting will come after all five permanent members of the UN Security Council attend a conference in Paris. On Thursday, Nato and Russia will hold talks in Brussels to discuss the stand-off between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in Crimea and the possibility that Moscow may intervene. |
| On Tuesday, the Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was currently no need to send Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, but cautioned Russia would take all measures necessary to protect Ukraine's citizens if they requested help. | On Tuesday, the Russian president Vladimir Putin said there was currently no need to send Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, but cautioned Russia would take all measures necessary to protect Ukraine's citizens if they requested help. |
| The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has warned European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday could decide on sanctions against Russia if there is no "de-escalation" by that point. | The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has warned European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday could decide on sanctions against Russia if there is no "de-escalation" by that point. |
| Speaking to France’s BFM TV channel, Mr Fabius said such measures could include restricting visas and individual assets. | Speaking to France’s BFM TV channel, Mr Fabius said such measures could include restricting visas and individual assets. |
| During a live press conference yesterday, Mr Putin said Western sanctions under consideration against Russia would be “counter-productive” and would cause “mutual harm.” | During a live press conference yesterday, Mr Putin said Western sanctions under consideration against Russia would be “counter-productive” and would cause “mutual harm.” |
| In Washington, US President Barack Obama acknowledged that Russia had legitimate interests in Ukraine but said that did not give Mr Putin the right to intervene militarily. | In Washington, US President Barack Obama acknowledged that Russia had legitimate interests in Ukraine but said that did not give Mr Putin the right to intervene militarily. |
| "President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations," Mr Obama said. "But I don't think that's fooling anybody." | "President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations," Mr Obama said. "But I don't think that's fooling anybody." |
| Additional reporting by agencies |