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| Ukraine crisis: Crimea vote 'will not be recognised' | Ukraine crisis: Crimea vote 'will not be recognised' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukraine's interim prime minister has warned the Crimean parliament "no-one in the civilised world" will recognise its referendum on joining Russia. | Ukraine's interim prime minister has warned the Crimean parliament "no-one in the civilised world" will recognise its referendum on joining Russia. |
| Arseniy Yatsenyuk and others in the Kiev government have called the vote "unconstitutional" and "illegitimate". | Arseniy Yatsenyuk and others in the Kiev government have called the vote "unconstitutional" and "illegitimate". |
| But the referendum has the support of the Russian parliament. | But the referendum has the support of the Russian parliament. |
| The speaker of the upper house said if the Crimean people vote on 16 March to join Russia then they would "unquestionably back this choice". | The speaker of the upper house said if the Crimean people vote on 16 March to join Russia then they would "unquestionably back this choice". |
| The decision by Crimean MPs to seek to join the Russian Federation comes amid international tensions over the presence of pro-Russian troops in the southern Ukrainian peninsula. | The decision by Crimean MPs to seek to join the Russian Federation comes amid international tensions over the presence of pro-Russian troops in the southern Ukrainian peninsula. |
| Moscow has said it "will not accept the language of sanctions and threats" after the EU and US announced punitive measures against Russia on Thursday. | Moscow has said it "will not accept the language of sanctions and threats" after the EU and US announced punitive measures against Russia on Thursday. |
| Meanwhile, Ukraine's Paralympic team has confirmed it will take part in the Sochi Winter Paralympics, which begins later. | Meanwhile, Ukraine's Paralympic team has confirmed it will take part in the Sochi Winter Paralympics, which begins later. |
| The head of the team, Valeriy Sushkevych, said they would participate, but warned: "If something major happens, Ukraine will leave the Games immediately". | |
| Russian energy giant Gazprom meanwhile warned the government in Kiev that it would cut off gas exports if it did not settle a $1.89bn (£1.13bn) debt. In 2009, Gazprom halted supplies to Ukraine in a move that caused shortages across Europe. | |
| 'Sovereign right' | 'Sovereign right' |
| Prime Minister Yatsenyuk said on Friday Ukraine was open to talks with Russia as long as it withdrew its troops and abided by international agreements. | Prime Minister Yatsenyuk said on Friday Ukraine was open to talks with Russia as long as it withdrew its troops and abided by international agreements. |
| In a warning to the "separatist and other traitors of the Ukrainian state", he said: "Any decision of yours is deliberately unlawful and unconstitutional and no-one in the civilised world will recognise the decision of the so-called referendum of the so-called Crimean authorities". | In a warning to the "separatist and other traitors of the Ukrainian state", he said: "Any decision of yours is deliberately unlawful and unconstitutional and no-one in the civilised world will recognise the decision of the so-called referendum of the so-called Crimean authorities". |
| Kiev does not recognise Crimea's pro-Moscow leadership, which was sworn in at an emergency session as pro-Russian forces began to take over strategic sites last week. | Kiev does not recognise Crimea's pro-Moscow leadership, which was sworn in at an emergency session as pro-Russian forces began to take over strategic sites last week. |
| Crimea's leadership for its part has branded as "illegitimate" the interim government in Kiev, which was sworn in at the end of February after the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. | Crimea's leadership for its part has branded as "illegitimate" the interim government in Kiev, which was sworn in at the end of February after the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. |
| Crimea's parliament on Thursday said it had already asked President Putin to allow the region to join Russia, and would seek an endorsement from the Crimean people in a referendum on 16 March. | Crimea's parliament on Thursday said it had already asked President Putin to allow the region to join Russia, and would seek an endorsement from the Crimean people in a referendum on 16 March. |
| Welcoming a delegation of Crimean MPs to Moscow on Friday, Russia's upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko said: "Without a doubt, the Crimean parliament, as a legitimate authority, has that right... the sovereign right of the people to determine their future." | Welcoming a delegation of Crimean MPs to Moscow on Friday, Russia's upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko said: "Without a doubt, the Crimean parliament, as a legitimate authority, has that right... the sovereign right of the people to determine their future." |
| Although the majority of people in Crimea are ethnic Russians, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Simferopol says the outcome of a referendum is by no means certain - and may come down to a generational split. | Although the majority of people in Crimea are ethnic Russians, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Simferopol says the outcome of a referendum is by no means certain - and may come down to a generational split. |
| One man said: "I am Russian, but I am not a citizen of the Russian Federation. When I was there several years ago, I understood that we are different people now. I want to feel Crimean." | One man said: "I am Russian, but I am not a citizen of the Russian Federation. When I was there several years ago, I understood that we are different people now. I want to feel Crimean." |
| But his mother-in-law - who remembers when Russia handed over Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 - has a different view. | But his mother-in-law - who remembers when Russia handed over Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 - has a different view. |
| "I would say yes to joining Russia," she told the BBC. "Crimea has always been Russian territory. We feel separate from Ukraine and I don't have any emotional attachment to this country. Perhaps if the government in Kiev was different then I might vote another way." | "I would say yes to joining Russia," she told the BBC. "Crimea has always been Russian territory. We feel separate from Ukraine and I don't have any emotional attachment to this country. Perhaps if the government in Kiev was different then I might vote another way." |
| For a second consecutive day, 47 military observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were prevented from crossing into Crimea by armed men guarding the Chungar checkpoint. | |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell says there is "widespread" support at the OSCE's headquarters in Vienna for the need to agree a long-term monitoring mission in Ukraine, but that Russia's delegation insists it has no mandate to deploy. | The BBC's Bethany Bell says there is "widespread" support at the OSCE's headquarters in Vienna for the need to agree a long-term monitoring mission in Ukraine, but that Russia's delegation insists it has no mandate to deploy. |
| Visa restrictions | Visa restrictions |
| Russia's foreign ministry accused the European Union of taking an "extremely unconstructive position" after leaders meeting in Brussels agreed to freeze talks on easing travel restrictions to Russians. | Russia's foreign ministry accused the European Union of taking an "extremely unconstructive position" after leaders meeting in Brussels agreed to freeze talks on easing travel restrictions to Russians. |
| Washington also announced visa restrictions against a number of unnamed Ukrainian and Russian officials and individuals. | Washington also announced visa restrictions against a number of unnamed Ukrainian and Russian officials and individuals. |
| During an hour-long phone conservation, US President Barack Obama told President Putin that Russia's actions were a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, the White House said in a statement. | During an hour-long phone conservation, US President Barack Obama told President Putin that Russia's actions were a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, the White House said in a statement. |
| He said there was a solution available that suited all parties, involving talks between Kiev and Moscow, international monitors in Ukraine and Russian forces returning to their bases. | He said there was a solution available that suited all parties, involving talks between Kiev and Moscow, international monitors in Ukraine and Russian forces returning to their bases. |
| For his part, President Putin said the new authorities in Kiev had imposed "absolutely illegitimate decisions" on the pro-Russian parts of eastern Ukraine, and Moscow "cannot ignore calls for help". | For his part, President Putin said the new authorities in Kiev had imposed "absolutely illegitimate decisions" on the pro-Russian parts of eastern Ukraine, and Moscow "cannot ignore calls for help". |
| But he also said US-Russian "relations should not be sacrificed due to disagreements over individual, albeit extremely significant, international problems", the Kremlin said. | But he also said US-Russian "relations should not be sacrificed due to disagreements over individual, albeit extremely significant, international problems", the Kremlin said. |
| On Friday, some 65,000 people attended a rally in Moscow expressing solidarity with the pro-Russian authorities in Crimea, police said. | On Friday, some 65,000 people attended a rally in Moscow expressing solidarity with the pro-Russian authorities in Crimea, police said. |
| Are you in the affected region? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ukraine' in the subject heading and including your contact details. | Are you in the affected region? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ukraine' in the subject heading and including your contact details. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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