Russians accused of occupying Crimea airports in military invasion

Russian military forces have occupied an airport in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol in Crimea near the Russian naval base in an "armed invasion", Ukraine's interior minister has said.

On a day of escalating tensions between the two countries, eight Russian military helicopters were also reportedly seen flying towards the Belbek international airport in Sevastopol, although a video purporting to show the aircrafts landing has not been verified.

Another airport, Simferopol, has also been occupied by armed men, also thought to be pro-Russia militia. Eight army trucks with Russian plates were also moving towards Simferopol, the BBC has reported.

Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said about 30 Russian marines had taken positions outside its Coast Guard base in the Sevastopol base. The interior minister, Arsen Avakov said: "I consider what has happened to be a military invasion and occupation in violation of all international agreements and norms."

In response, Russia's Black Sea Fleet has denied its forces were involved in a seizure or blockade of the airport, according to the Interfax news agency.

"No units of the Black Sea fleet were deployed in the area of Belbek nor did they take place in blockading it," a statement from the fleet's press service said.

In other developments today, France, Germany and Poland released a joint statement saying they are "very worried" by the events and urged all parties to refrain from any action endangering Ukraine's territorial integrity.

The escalating conflict has sent Ukraine's finances plummeting, prompting Western leaders to prepare an emergency financial package. The International Monetary Fund has said it is “ ready to respond” to Ukraine's bid for financial assistance.

Ukraine's finance ministry has estimated it needs $35 billion (£21 million) over the next two years to avoid default.

Ukraine's new prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, said on Thursday that the country's future lies in the European Union, but with friendly relations with Russia.

Mr Yatsenyuk insisted the country wouldn't accept the secession of Crimea. The Black Sea territory, he declared, “has been and will be a part of Ukraine.”

The events follow warnings from the interim president that any movements of Russia's troops from their Crimea naval base will be considered an act of "military aggression" yesterday, after it scrambled fighter jets to patrol borders in the first stirrings of a potentially dangerous confrontation reminiscent of Cold War brinksmanship.

The exercise came a day after US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to remember that the escalating crisis "is not Rocky IV".

Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and the West. Crimea became part of Ukraine in 1954 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred jurisdiction from Russia.

Why do Russians support intervention in Ukraine?

In explaining Putin's drastic moves in Ukraine, commentators have highlighted domestic support for the intervention, stressing Putin's soaring approval ratings since the start of the conflict. With 94 percent of Russians supportingRussia's annexation of  Crimea, there is no doubt that the overall perception of the Ukrainian crisis in the country is a product of remarkable mass media fear-mongering campaign, which utilised the image of the neo-fascist to taint democratic developments in Ukraine and to discredit the new Ukrainian leadership.

However, we are yet to understand the specific cultural reasoning behind popular support. Beyond the importance of the propaganda machine, what are the interpretative frames that drive the public's seemingly unproblematic support for Russia's actions in Ukraine?

To answer this question, let's focus on what one would call "ordinary Russians" that fall into the demographic of Putin's core electorate: the 50+ (my parents') generation of middle to lower class people whose education is the product of Soviet-era conceptualisation of history, citizenship and identity. Their adamant support for Russia's takeover of Crimea reflects Russian President's triumphalist rhetoric of "regional stability", "rendering a helping hand to the fraternal nation" and "fighting fascism". 

These people would often see Russia's actions as justified on two levels. Firstly, appealing to the union between Russian and Ukrainian people, they stress Russia's "moral" obligation to help the brotherly nation being pulled apart by "ultranationalist thugs" and their Western backers. Secondly, they argue that Russia needs to "be strong" in protecting its own sovereignty and putting an end to the indiscriminate meddling of the West in world affairs.

What does Russia want?

November 19; 2014

President Vladimir Putin's aims are unclear. He backed the Minsk peace deal and, after months of talks, Russia agreed a deal to resume gas supplies to Ukraine.

What is not known is whether Mr Putin is prepared for a resumption of full-scale hostilities.

While the Kremlin has repeatedly denied supplying troops and sophisticated military hardware to the rebels, Alexander Zakharchenko, the Donetsk rebel leader, said in August that 3-4,000 Russian citizens had been fighting alongside the rebels. The recent surge in violence has brought fresh reports of troop and artillery movement.

One question that remains unanswered is whether Russia feels it needs a land corridor to Crimea.

Although a costly bridge or tunnel is due to be built from the mainland across the Kerch Strait to the peninsula, if the separatists were to capture Mariupol, that would pave the way for access further west along the coast to Crimea.

Ukraine crisis: Will war return?

November 11, 2014

Will War Return?

It is a urgent and famous conflict in the real world between Russia and Ukraine. The recent news is that pro-Russian rebels control broad swathes of eastern Ukraine and a fragile ceasefire with government forces could end at any time and return the region to deadly conflict.Ukraine's Western allies accuse Russia of sending in troops and armour to help the rebels - an allegation repeatedly denied by the government in Moscow.

You have to know more than 4,000 people have already lost their lives in a crisis that few saw coming.

Why did the fighting start?

In April, pro-Russian activists seized control of government buildings in towns and cities across the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The events were a repeat of what had happened in Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.

Gunmen there seized government buildings in February and raised the Russian flag a week after elected President Viktor Yanukovych, friendly to Moscow, was toppled after massive pro-European Union street protests.

Russian politicians and media portrayed the Kiev leaders as Ukrainian nationalists bent on violating Russian-speakers' rights.

A flawed referendum on joining Russia was quickly held in Crimea and within a month the peninsula's annexation was complete.

There was little bloodshed in Crimea but Ukraine's fledgling revolutionary government was in no position to fight back, with only 6,000 troops reportedly ready for combat.

However, when pro-Russian separatists made a move on Ukraine's industrial east and Russian forces appeared to be building up on the borders, the Kiev authorities ordered an "anti-terrorist operation".

What was the result of the war?

For several weeks, the pro-Russian separatists had the upper hand in an increasingly bloody conflict but the election of a new President, Petro Poroshenko, appeared to revive the armed forces and volunteer battalions.

An initial ceasefire failed in late June, and separatists were forced to pull out of key areas of northern Donetsk. By early August, Ukrainian forces were besieging the major cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

But, amid reports that Russian irregulars and even servicemen were fighting inside Ukraine, the separatists recaptured Luhansk airport, regained ground and opened up a new front, driving towards Mariupol on the coast of the Sea of Azo

Anyway, no matter why the conflict happens, the people and citizens loss their security and even lives. No matter if the conflict is a result of politics, it is too crucial for both Russian and Ukrainian people.