Obama Hails West's 'Unified' Stance On Crimea

Putin Loses An Ally But Gains A Territory

Updated: 2:19pm UK, Friday 07 March 2014

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Vladimir Putin can sit back and enjoy the show in Sochi after a very satisfactory week.

In between the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, he has lost an ally but gained a territory, and he has no plans to give it back no matter how loudly other world leaders protest.

The Russian President is in a strong position and he knows it. 

On March 16, there will be a referendum in Crimea which will almost certainly produce an overwhelming vote in favour of a union in Russia. 

It will give a semblance of legitimacy to a land grab orchestrated by the Kremlin, but carried out by a military force that the Russians claim they don't control. 

The territory, which was gifted to Ukraine in 1954 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, will be returned to Moscow rule. 

Crimea continued to be governed by Moscow until 1991 when the Soviet Union broke apart, and has always retained a strong ethnic Russian identity.

The interim Ukrainian government protests that the referendum is unconstitutional and that any secession has to be approved by the country as a whole. 

But Mr Putin points out that the crisis began with an "unconstitutional coup d'etat" which removed the elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, so those in Kiev are hardly playing by the rulebook. 

Mr Putin is still giving his former neighbour Mr Yanukovych refuge, but knows that he is a spent political force.

Another lengthy telephone conversation between Mr Putin and President Obama merely demonstrated the gulf between them.

The US may have gone further than the EU in coming up with a package of economic sanctions, but it does not appear to have had any impact on Mr Putin. 

On the contrary, he is already trying to move on. 

The Kremlin's version of the conversation quoted President Putin stressing the "paramount importance of Russian-US relations for ensuring stability and security in the world".

"These relations should not be sacrificed due to disagreements on individual international issues even if they are very significant," he is also quoted as saying.

In other words, let's agree to differ on Ukraine, with no hard feelings.

The West fears that if it accepts what appears to be a fait accompli in Crimea, it could encourage the Kremlin to encourage a similar breakaway in other Russian-dominated areas of Eastern Ukraine such as Donetsk. 

Crimea could prove to be a slippery slope. 

As he watches the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Mr Putin can award himself a gold medal for boldness - and for keeping a straight face as he told the world that the military forces in Crimea had nothing to do with him.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius: Public Opinion And Evidence Collide

Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Car And Cheated On Ex'

Updated: 7:55pm UK, Friday 07 March 2014

An ex-girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius wept as she told the court how the athlete cheated on her with Reeva Steenkamp.

It was also confirmed on Friday that the Paralympian would take the stand during the trial.

Samantha Taylor told how Pistorius once shot a bullet through a car sunroof, and on another occasion waved his weapon at a vehicle which he thought was following him.

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday at 9.30pm.

Proceedings were halted twice as Ms Taylor had to compose herself during a drama-packed morning at the Pretoria court.

The evidence was heard shortly before a Pistorius family spokesperson confirmed for the first time that the athlete will, at some point, give evidence at the trial.

In another development, a security guard at the star's estate said Pistorius told him that "everything is fine" shortly after shots were reported.

"Mr Pistorius said to me 'security, everything is fine'," Pieter Baba told the court on Friday afternoon.

"That's when I realised that Mr Pistorius was crying," he added.

Earlier, Ms Taylor told how Pistorius nearly always carried a gun and recalled one night when she was awoken by the athlete who feared an intruder in the house.

The court was told how Pistorius grabbed his gun, got out of bed and went to investigate.

Ms Taylor also described occasions when Pistorius screamed at her "out of anger" and said he was often on his mobile phone when they were in bed together.

She described another time when the athlete became angry when police stopped a car he was travelling in.

The court heard that about 15 minutes after being stopped he fired his gun out of the sunroof - to "irritate the police", laughing after doing so.

He had earlier joked with the driver of the car about shooting "a robot" - South African slang for a traffic light. 

On another occasion Pistorius was followed by a white Mercedes car, the court heard.

Ms Taylor said that Pistorius leapt out of his car as he approached the security gates of his home and waved his gun at the car, which drove off. 

The court was told how Ms Taylor normally spent four nights a week at Pistorius' home. 

She wept, and the court was adjourned twice, as she said how "upset" she was about the couple's break-up and the fact that she had been cheated on.

Earlier, radiologist Johan Stipp finished giving his evidence and was questioned by defence lawyer Barry Roux.

He had described on Thursday how Pistorius knelt at Ms Steenkamp's side and struggled in vain to help her breathe by holding two fingers in her clenched mouth.

Mr Stipp said he went to Pistorius' home after hearing shots fired on the night Ms Steenkamp was killed and found "a lady lying on her back".

"I also noticed a man kneeling on her side, on the left side. I remember the first thing he said when I got there was 'I shot her, I thought she was an intruder. I shot her,'" Mr Stipp told the court.

He said he did not recognise Pistorius, and described how he tried in vain to resuscitate Ms Steenkamp.

He said Pistorius was "crying all the time" and praying that she would not die.

On top of the premeditated murder allegation, Pistorius faces a charge of illegally possessing ammunition and two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

He denies all the charges against him and maintains he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

The athlete could face 25 years in jail if he is found guilty by Judge Thokozile Masipa. South Africa does not have trials by jury.

The trial has been adjourned until Monday.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Crashes In Vietnam'

A Malaysia Airlines plane with 239 people on board has crashed into the sea after losing contact with air traffic control 18 hours ago, say reports.

The Boeing 777-200 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished around two hours into the flight.

Vietnamese state media quoted a navy official as saying Flight MH370 crashed near Tho Chu island, off Vietnam's south coast, at around 2.40am local time.

An information screen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

All ships in the local area have been sent to the scene to look for survivors.

The US Navy is helping teams from Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore in the search near Tho Chu island.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Seri Hishammuddin told reporters: "There is no information on any wreckage, but we are looking at all possibilities."

Distraught relatives and friends wait at Beijing International Airport

The plane was last detected on radar at 1.30am (5.30pm UK time) about 85 miles (135km) north of the Malaysian city of Kuala Terengganu, said Azaharudin Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's civil aviation chief.

Journalist Leo Lewis, at Beijing airport, told Sky News families were waiting anxiously for news of their relatives.

He said there were "scenes of considerable distress" and "increasing irritation" because of a lack of information about their fate.

The plane is said to have crashed near Tho Chu island, in southern Vietnam

Malcolm Moore, the Daily Telegraph's Beijing Correspondent, said the relatives have been taken by bus to a hotel in the centre of Beijing.

He told Sky News: "There has been no official confirmation (about what has happened), but it's looking increasingly grim."

The plane left Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am local time and was due to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am local time.

Malaysia Airlines said the flight was carrying 227 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members.

Family members have complained of a lack of information

They were from 14 countries - 152 plus one baby from China, 38 from Malaysia, 12 from Indonesia, seven from Australia, three plus one baby from the US, three from France, two from New Zealand, two from Ukraine, two from Canada, one from Russia, one from Italy, one from Taiwan, one from Netherlands, and one from Austria.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang has urged Malaysia to "quickly and vigorously push search and rescue work" for the missing plane, state news agency Xinhua said.

Beijing has sent two maritime rescue ships to the South China Sea to help in the search and rescue work.

Flight MH370 marked in red on Beijing airport's information board

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: "This news has made us all very worried. We hope every one of the passengers is safe."

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53-year-old Malaysian with a total of 18,365 flying hours. He joined the company in 1981.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members," Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said in a statement.

The airline said it would provide "regular updates" on the situation and has set up the phone line +603 7884 1234 for concerned members of the public.

Relatives of those on board await news at Beijing airport

Aviation expert David Learmount told Sky News the Boeing 777-200's safety record is "absolutely superb".

He said the plane would have been travelling at cruising height (around 35,000ft) and it would have given the pilots plenty of time to make a distress call.

The "simple solution" would be to presume there was a bomb on board, "but there's no suggestion of that," he said.

A Boeing 777 crash landed in San Francisco

Malaysia Airlines has 15 Boeing 777-200 jets in its fleet of about 100 planes.

There has been one fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 since the jet entered service in 1995.

Last summer, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crash landed in San Francisco, killing three passengers.

Boeing said it was aware of reports that the Malaysia Airlines plane has gone missing and was monitoring the situation, but had no further comment.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

More follows...

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Putin 'Repeating Georgia Tactics' In Crimea

Russia is using the same tactics to take control of Crimea as it used in efforts to annex other territories in the region, Georgia's former leader has said.

Mikheil Saakashvili told Sky News that Russia President Vladimir Putin wanted to achieve a number of unspoken aims through its involvement in the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

And the 46-year-old, who served two terms as Georgia's president between 2004 and 2012, said Moscow was doing "exactly the same thing" in Crimea as it did in its 2008 conflict with Georgia.

He claimed that in both instances, Mr Putin has sent in soldiers not identified as Russian troops to provoke matters in the neighbouring countries - but claimed they were merely Russian citizens seeking to defend themselves.

Mr Putin and Mr Saakashvili before war broke out in 2008

"Of course this is not true, of course this is nonsense spread by Russian propaganda," he said.

"If the Ukrainian government responds now, Russia will say: 'Well those were not our troops and now we are moving in with real troops.'

"That's exactly what happened in Georgia and it's high time people who still propagate this rubbish version (of events) that we attacked first, to consider that (they have been) a victim of Russian lies.

"Putin has this plan to have occupation and annexation of territories ranging from South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Crimea, then all the other parts of Ukraine and then Transnistria in Moldova."

Mr Saakashvili said Mr Putin had various other motives in the Ukraine crisis.

"I think President Putin has very clear goals here," he said.

Russian soldiers in Georgia during the 2008 conflict

"If Ukraine makes it, becomes a European and democratic state, then Russian citizens will be asking quite rightly why Russians cannot have the same, why they should live in a mafia-ridden, oligarchic, corrupt country.

"The other thing is Crimea has lots of shale gas. Actually, within the next three years, thanks to American companies, Ukraine was going to become a net exporter of gas and stop buying Russian gas.

"That would basically mean that Gazprom would lose its biggest buyer of gas in Europe."

Ukraine says Russia currently has around 16,000 troops in its Crimean territories. Kiev says the soldiers are behind the seizure of key bases in the region.

Mr Putin has claimed the gunmen responsible are merely local militias.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Birmingham City Owner Carson Yeung Jailed

The owner of Birmingham City football club, Carson Yeung, has been sentenced to six years in jail for money laundering.

Judge Douglas Yau handed down the sentence in a Hong Kong court after convicting the 54-year-old of five charges linked to the laundering of $93m (£55.6m).

Lawyers for the former hairdresser earlier said they were expecting a "significant" jail sentence.

He had faced up to seven years' imprisonment.

Lead defence lawyer Graham Harris told the judge that Yeung, who built a business empire from hair salons, fertiliser and property, "came from rags to riches, and he's likely to return to rags".             

The Chinese businessman took control of Birmingham City in 2009

Pleading for a light sentence, Mr Harris said there had been "no subterfuge" in Yeung's dealings, as the accounts in question were held in his own name and his father's.

Yeung was a generous philanthropist and head of a young family, with two children aged under three as well as a 19-year-old son, the lawyer said.

Before his emergence in English football, the businessman was little known in Britain.

He took control of Birmingham City in 2009 in an £81m takeover from David Sullivan and David Gold, now the co-owners of West Ham.

Throughout the trial, Yeung and the prosecution painted differing pictures of how the tycoon amassed his fortune.

The prosecution said the millions of pounds that passed through the five accounts came from "unknown parties without any apparent reason".

Yeung insisted he had accumulated his money through share trading, upmarket hair salons and business ventures in mainland China, as well as investing in casinos in Macau.

He also said he made up to £2.3m from gambling in Macau, adding that he gambled as if he were "running a business".

It emerged during the trial that his business dealings included transactions with businessman Cheung Chi-tai, who has links to the Macau casino industry.

Sentencing Yeung on Monday, Yau said any "right-thinking" person would conclude transactions between the pair were "proceeds of an indictable offence".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine: Russia Denies 'Orchestrating Events'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied he is "orchestrating events" in Ukraine's Crimea peninsular, and says he is simply responding to a request for help.

He spoke out after Moscow was warned it faces further sanctions if it fails to pull its forces out of Ukraine, as the gravest post-Cold War stand-off between the West and Russia continues.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said if the first round of sanctions do not work, the West will consider targeting businesses and individuals close to Mr Putin, Reuters reported.

Overnight, US President Barack Obama spoke to Mr Putin on the phone for an hour, trying to convince him to accept the terms of a potential diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis.

After the call, the Russian leader said the two sides were still far apart.

It came as Crimea's parliament voted to join Russia, and announced they will hold a referendum in nine days.

The move has sparked a dramatic escalation in the crisis - and was immediately condemned by Mr Obama.

Russian forces outside a military base in Simferopol, Crimea

In Russia, the Upper House of Parliament said Crimea has the right to hold a referendum on its future status.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk called it an "illegal decision" by Crimea's authorities.

He said Ukraine is ready for talks with Russia, but Moscow must first withdraw its troops, abide by international agreements and halt its support for "separatists and terrorists".

Ukraine protester Oksana Prots outside Downing Street in London

Former Kremlin spin doctor Gleb Pavlovsky said there was now a greater danger of shots being fired in Crimea.

"Russia is encouraging the action of local forces," he said.

"We are at a very dangerous point, and it threatens to push a political crisis in the direction of a military situation."

Laurent Fabius says the West may impose more sanctions on Russia

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Paralympic chief Valeriy Sushkevich said his team would compete in the Winter Paralympics in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

But he said they would pull out of the Games, which begin this afternoon, if Russian forces invade mainland Ukraine.

Mr Obama ordered sanctions on those responsible for Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine, including bans on travel to America and freezing of their US assets

He also echoed European Union leaders and the pro-Western government in Ukraine in insisting the referendum would violate international law.

He said Russians and Ukrainians involved in what he called "threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine" would be punished - although a US official said Mr Putin was not on the list of those to be sanctioned.

"The proposed referendum on the future of Crimea would violate the Ukrainian constitution and violate international law," Mr Obama told reporters at the White House.

"Any discussion about the future of Ukraine must include the legitimate government of Ukraine."

But in a statement released by the Kremlin early on Friday, Mr Putin said Kiev's new authorities had imposed "absolutely illegitimate decisions on the eastern, southeastern and Crimea regions".

"Russia cannot ignore calls for help in this matter and it acts accordingly, in full compliance with the international law," he said.

Pro-Russians gather outside a military base in Crimea

Russia's Foreign Ministry also hit out at Nato's decision to curb its co-operation with Moscow - and said it showed a "biased and prejudiced approach" over Ukraine.

"We see as extremely dangerous attempts to bring in the 'Nato factor' to Ukraine, where the situation is complex and delicate as it is, as it creates additional tension and undermines the prospects for settling the situation," it said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Nato announced a full review of its co-operation with Russia and said it would suspend planning for a joint mission linked to Syria's chemical weapons.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russia TV Presenter Quits On Air In Protest

A presenter for a Russian government-funded TV channel has resigned live on air, after accusing the station of "whitewashing the actions" of Vladimir Putin.

Liz Wahl, a US anchor for Russia Today America, told viewers during the broadcast: "I'm proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth and that is why after this newscast, I'm resigning."

Her grandparents fled to the US as refugees during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution to escape the Soviet Union.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Moscow has been accused of invading Ukraine's Crimea region after months of pro-European protests there saw the nation's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, ousted.

Russia denies this, claiming the troops operating there are "self-defence" forces who do not answer to Moscow.

In a statement on Ms Wahl's actions, Russia Today said: "When a journalist disagrees with the editorial position of his or her organisation, the usual course of action is to address those grievances with the editor, and, if they cannot be resolved, to quit like a professional.

"But when someone makes a big public show of a personal decision, it is nothing more than a self-promotional stunt.

Moscow says troops in Crimea are "self-defence" forces

"We wish Liz the best of luck on her chosen path."

Ms Wahl later tweeted: "I am grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support I have received."

Another host from the channel criticised the actions of pro-Russian forces earlier this week.

Abby Martin labelled the intervention "wrong" and said she was "strongly against" military involvement.

The channel responded by saying Ms Martin "does not possess a deep knowledge of reality of the situation in Crimea" and that she would be sent there to "make up her own mind from the epicentre of the story".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hillary Clinton Blasts Putin After Hitler Remark

Hillary Clinton has kept up the pressure on Vladimir Putin a day after comparing the Russian president's actions in Crimea with those of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s.

Mrs Clinton sought to clarify the remarks on Tuesday that Mr Putin's actions are similar to what happened in Nazi-era in Czechoslovakia and Romania.

At a closed fundraising lunch in Long Beach, California, she was quoted as saying: "Now if this sounds familiar, it's what Hitler did back in the '30s.

Mr Putin featured as the devil and as Hitler in a recent demonstration

"Hitler kept saying 'They're not being treated right. I must go and protect my people'. And that's what's gotten everybody so nervous."

When questioned on the comments the next day, Mrs Clinton said she was not making a comparison.

But she said Russia's actions were "reminiscent" of claims Germany made in the 1930s, when the Nazis said they needed to protect German minorities in Poland and elsewhere in Europe.

She said: "The claims by President Putin and other Russians that they had to go into Crimea and maybe further into eastern Ukraine because they had to protect the Russian minorities, that is reminiscent of claims that were made back in the 1930s when Germany under the Nazis kept talking about how they had to protect German minorities in Poland and Czechoslovakia and elsewhere throughout Europe.

"I just want everybody to have a little historic perspective.

"I am not making a comparison, certainly.

"But I am recommending that we perhaps can learn from this tactic that has been used before."

Live Updates: Protests Erupt In Ukraine

Mrs Clinton, a former secretary of state and potential 2016 presidential contender, renewed her criticism of Mr Putin amid the Ukraine crisis and Russia's military involvement in Crimea.

She described Mr Putin as a "tough guy with a thin skin" and said he wants to "re-Sovietise" the periphery of Russia but is actually squandering the potential of his nation and "threatening instability and even the peace of Europe".

Mr Putin has maintained he was protecting ethnic Russians by moving troops into Crimea.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Stoking Tensions

US Issues Rebuttal Of 'Putin's Ukraine Fiction'

Updated: 8:29am UK, Thursday 06 March 2014

Amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis in Ukraine, the State Department has taken the unusual step of issuing a point-by-point rebuttal of Vladimir Putin's assertions.

It bluntly spoke of "President Putin's Fiction" and even quoted Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky, saying: "The world has not seen such startling Russian fiction since Dostoyevsky wrote, 'The formula 'two plus two equals five' is not without its attractions'."

The "10 False Claims" statement follows a defiant press conference by the Russian president two days ago.

Here is the full text of the US rebuttal:

As Russia spins a false narrative to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine, the world has not seen such startling Russian fiction since Dostoyevsky wrote, "The formula 'two plus two equals five' is not without its attractions."

Below are 10 of President Vladimir Putin's recent claims justifying Russian aggression in the Ukraine, followed by the facts that his assertions ignore or distort.

1. Mr Putin says: Russian forces in Crimea are only acting to protect Russian military assets. It is "citizens' defense groups," not Russian forces, who have seized infrastructure and military facilities in Crimea.

The Facts: Strong evidence suggests that members of Russian security services are at the heart of the highly organized anti-Ukraine forces in Crimea. While these units wear uniforms without insignia, they drive vehicles with Russian military license plates and freely identify themselves as Russian security forces when asked by the international media and the Ukrainian military. Moreover, these individuals are armed with weapons not generally available to civilians.

2. Mr Putin says: Russia's actions fall within the scope of the 1997 Friendship Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

The Facts: The 1997 agreement requires Russia to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity. Russia's military actions in Ukraine, which have given them operational control of Crimea, are in clear violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

3. Mr Putin says: The opposition failed to implement the February 21 agreement with former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

The Facts: The February 21 agreement laid out a plan in which the Rada, or Parliament, would pass a bill to return Ukraine to its 2004 Constitution, thus returning the country to a constitutional system centered around its parliament. Under the terms of the agreement, Yanukovych was to sign the enacting legislation within 24 hours and bring the crisis to a peaceful conclusion. Yanukovych refused to keep his end of the bargain. Instead, he packed up his home and fled, leaving behind evidence of wide-scale corruption.

4. Mr Putin says: Ukraine's government is illegitimate. Yanukovych is still the legitimate leader of Ukraine.

The Facts: On March 4, President Putin himself acknowledged the reality that Yanukovych "has no political future." After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, even his own Party of Regions turned against him, voting to confirm his withdrawal from office and to support the new government. Ukraine's new government was approved by the democratically elected Ukrainian Parliament, with 371 votes - more than an 82% majority. The interim government of Ukraine is a government of the people, which will shepherd the country toward democratic elections on May 25th - elections that will allow all Ukrainians to have a voice in the future of their country.

5. Mr Putin says: There is a humanitarian crisis and hundreds of thousands are fleeing Ukraine to Russia and seeking asylum.

The Facts: To date, there is absolutely no evidence of a humanitarian crisis. Nor is there evidence of a flood of asylum-seekers fleeing Ukraine for Russia. International organizations on the ground have investigated by talking with Ukrainian border guards, who also refuted these claims. Independent journalists observing the border have also reported no such flood of refugees.

6. Mr Putin says: Ethnic Russians are under threat.

The Facts: Outside of Russian press and Russian state television, there are no credible reports of any ethnic Russians being under threat. The new Ukrainian government placed a priority on peace and reconciliation from the outset. President Oleksandr Turchynov refused to sign legislation limiting the use of the Russian language at regional level. Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers have filed petitions attesting that their communities have not experienced threats. Furthermore, since the new government was established, calm has returned to Kyiv. There has been no surge in crime, no looting, and no retribution against political opponents.

7. Mr Putin says: Russian bases are under threat.

The Facts: Russian military facilities were and remain secure, and the new Ukrainian government has pledged to abide by all existing international agreements, including those covering Russian bases. It is Ukrainian bases in Crimea that are under threat from Russian military action.

8. Mr Putin says: There have been mass attacks on churches and synagogues in southern and eastern Ukraine.

The Facts: Religious leaders in the country and international religious freedom advocates active in Ukraine have said there have been no incidents of attacks on churches. All of Ukraine's church leaders, including representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, have expressed support for the new political leadership, calling for national unity and a period of healing. Jewish groups in southern and eastern Ukraine report that they have not seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents.

9. Mr Putin says: Kyiv is trying to destabilize Crimea.

The Facts: Ukraine's interim government has acted with restraint and sought dialogue. Russian troops, on the other hand, have moved beyond their bases to seize political objectives and infrastructure in Crimea. The government in Kyiv immediately sent the former Chief of Defense to defuse the situation. Petro Poroshenko, the latest government emissary to pursue dialogue in Crimea, was prevented from entering the Crimean Rada.

10. Mr Putin says: The Rada is under the influence of extremists or terrorists.

The Facts: The Rada is the most representative institution in Ukraine. Recent legislation has passed with large majorities, including from representatives of eastern Ukraine. Far-right wing ultranationalist groups, some of which were involved in open clashes with security forces during the EuroMaidan protests, are not represented in the Rada. There is no indication that the Ukrainian government would pursue discriminatory policies; on the contrary, they have publicly stated exactly the opposite.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine Police Clearing Pro-Russia Protesters

Ukraine: Sanctions On Russia Would Be Effective

Updated: 8:31pm UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

There is an assumption out there - one reflected in the briefing document inadvertently flashed to photographers by an official outside Downing Street - that economic sanctions on Russia would not be worthwhile.

The rationale has two strands: first, that any bar on trade and finance with Russia would end up being worse for Britain than for Russia, and second, that Russia, with its experience of illicit financial flows would be able to circumvent the sanctions anyway.

Both of these arguments are bogus. There is reason to believe that sanctions on Russia would be more effective now than at any time in recent years.

In order to understand why, one must first of all examine the economic linkages between the UK and Russia.

This is no mean feat as much of the cash flow between the two countries is thought to be illicit, and therefore flies beneath the radar.

But with the use of one or two big numbers, one can, at the very least get an idea.

The first thing to remember here that when one talks about economic sanctions, there are two main elements: first, bars on trade and second, bars on financial flows.

The impact of the trade barriers are relatively predictable, because we have a far better idea of how many goods pass between our two countries.

According to the Pink Book, the definitive annual ONS survey of trade flows, Russia is a relatively important trade partner for Britain - the 12th biggest destination for UK goods exports and the 25th biggest destination for services exports.

It is the 14th biggest source of UK goods imports and the 29th biggest source of UK services imports, which puts it behind Cyprus and a touch ahead of Austria.

In other words, in trade terms, Russia is no minnow, but neither is it as essential a trade partner as the US, Germany or France.

The interesting bit comes when one considers the flow of cash between the two countries.

Let's focus first of all on Russian cash heading into the UK. Pinning down just how much there is tricky.

We know that a lot of money has escaped from Russia in the past few years. The central bank quoted a figure of $56bn (£33bn) of outflows in 2012 alone, two-thirds of which it believes may be illicit.

Parsing International Monetary Figures to try to get a sense of outflows, the total between 2005 and 2013 is a touch more conservative at about $103bn (£62bn).

Either way, these are big numbers, and reflect cash that has simply left the country for other shores.

There is no definitive measure of how much of this flow has come into the UK, but based on the country's international investment position - a measure of how many assets Russians hold in the UK (and vice versa) - the answer is likely to be, an awful lot.

According to the latest numbers, a quarter of the Russian banking sector's entire foreign assets are in the UK. The total ($27.6bn) is greater than is in any other country worldwide.

The flow in the other direction is equally important.

According to figures Sky News has analysed from the Russian central bank, Britain has, in recent years, become the biggest provider of loans to Russian businesses.

Now, to some extent, both this and the previous numbers are a reflection of the fact that London is the world's premier centre of finance; much of this cash will originate in other countries and simply flow through the UK.

Nonetheless, this underlines that Russia has been highly reliant on flows of money through the UK in recent years and remains so today.

In other words, were there to be financial sanctions on the country, they would have more impact if levied by the UK than by any other country in the world.

The flipside, of course, is that would also represent a significant financial blow for the City which, on the basis of these numbers, has become quite reliant on Russian business as well.

But the evidence above underlines that far from having little impact, a ban on financial links with Moscow would make an enormous difference.

This impression is reinforced when one recalls that Cyprus, which used to provide the bulk of finance to Russia, is much less likely to be able to given it is still yet to remove the capital controls it imposed during its euro crisis last year.

In other words, while there may well be alternative sources of finance for Russian businesses, they may not be big and liquid enough to replace the City of London.

Finally, it so happens that this is a moment of particular vulnerability for the Russian economy. The past couple of years have been tepid in terms of economic growth. The central bank's decision to raise interest rates by a full 1.5% this week comes at about the worst possible time.

The collapse in the stock market on Monday is a further signal of financial stress. Though there are perpetual fears that the country might turn off the gas pipelines into Europe, it's worth remembering that this is something the country has never fully gone ahead with - not during the previous Ukraine crises, not even during the dying days of the Cold War.

What's remarkable, actually, is how little Russia's gas production levels have changed over the past quarter of a century. And there's a good reason for this: it is deeply reliant on that gas revenue.

All of which makes President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine even more of a gamble. The country is extremely sensitive to sanctions - both financial (primarily London) and trade (primarily those countries which consume lots of Russian gas, such as Germany, Ukraine and Turkey).

Beneath the bluster, Mr Putin will be hoping desperately that the G7 governments remain too wary to impose them at all.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine: Russia 'Wants To Prevent Bloodshed'

Moscow has said it will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, despite reports of confrontations between forces loyal to Kiev and pro-Russian armed groups.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov struck the conciliatory tone before he was due to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State John Kerry for the first time since the stalemate began.

Speaking at a news briefing with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo in Madrid, he said it was important for Russia to continue talks with Nato and EU leaders.

Mr Lavrov also said Moscow would like to see a de-escalation in tensions, sparked by Russian intervention in Ukraine's Crimea region.

But he added that "nobody has the right to be angry with Russia".

Sky's Andrew Wilson, in Perevalnoe, Ukraine, said Mr Lavrov is an "experienced, old hand at this" and "is mapping out a slightly clearer position than we've seen from Mr Putin."

Mr Lavrov answers journalists' questions in Madrid

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said there would be "costs and consequences" for Russia if it did not ease the crisis in Ukraine.

Earlier, the EU said it could vote on Russian sanctions on Thursday if there is no de-escalation in the stand-off before then.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said any Western sanctions against Moscow would be counter-productive.

US Secretary of State John Kerry in Kiev with Ukraine's leaders

America has already threatened sanctions, with a senior US official saying Washington is ready to impose them in days rather than weeks.

Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov are due to meet in Paris this afternoon to discuss the ongoing tensions.

US President Barack Obama spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about a plan to end the stalemate.

Troops in Belbek relax after a stand-off with the Russian military

Under the proposal, Russia would pull back its forces in Crimea to their bases in the peninsula and limit troop numbers to a Ukraine-agreed maximum of 11,000.

However, Mr Lavrov said that pro-Russian armed groups operating in Crimea were "self-defence" forces who do not answer to Moscow.

He added that Russian naval personnel in the region were in their normal positions.

A senior American official has said the plan would also see international monitors allowed in to ensure the human rights of ethnic Russians are protected.

People watch the latest news on a TV screen at Independence square, Kiev

Fifteen countries from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have reportedly already agreed to send observers.

Seen as an effort to offer Russian President Vladimir Putin a way out of the crisis without losing face, the plan would pave the way for direct talks between Moscow and the new Ukraine government with the potential for some international mediation.

The proposal would also see planned elections in Ukraine this May go ahead.

But Mr Obama sounded a cautious note when commenting on the crisis at a fundraiser on Tuesday night.

John Kerry boards his plane as he prepares to leave Kiev

"We may be able to de-escalate over the next several days and weeks," he said. "It's a serious situation and we are spending a lot of time on it."

The US official added that Mr Obama had made clear to Ms Merkel that he would not attend a G8 summit scheduled for June in Sochi, Russia, if the situation in Ukraine had not changed.

Preparatory meetings about the summit have already been suspended.

Mr Putin has previously denied that Russian armed forces were directly engaged in the bloodless seizure of Crimea.

But he said he had the right to send in military forces to protect Russian nationals who feel threatened by the new Ukrainian government after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Mr Obama dismissed the Russian leader's claims, saying: "President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations, but I don't think that's fooling anybody."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Restaurant'

Oscar Pistorius injured a professional boxer by firing a gun in a restaurant then asked his friend to take the blame, a court has heard.

Cruiserweight fighter Kevin Lerena, giving evidence at his friend's murder trial, said he and several others were dining with the Paralympic star in Johannesburg on January 13 last year.

Mr Lerena said he saw Pistorius' friend Darren Fresco pass a gun to him under the table, shortly before a shot went off.

He said: "There was blood on my toe. I went to the bathroom. I was shocked.

"Oscar apologised. I remember that I was in shock. I've never been in a confined area where a gunshot has gone off by accident.

Cruiserweight boxer Kevin Lerena is giving evidence on camera

"(Pistorius) told Fresco: 'Tell them it was you, I don't want any more media hype around me.'"

Mr Lerena is the first witness to agree to appearing on camera while giving his evidence.

:: A special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday on Sky News at 9.30pm.

He told prosecutor Gerrie Nel that when Mr Fresco handed the gun to Pistorius he said it was "one up", a term meaning there is one bullet in the chamber.

He said Pistorius removed a bullet from the chamber, then the "next moment" there was a shot.

Pistorius, carrying a briefcase, enters the dock for the third day

Earlier, evidence given by one of the prosecution's key witnesses was repeatedly challenged by Pistorius' defence team during a tense cross-examination.

Charl Peter Johnson's claim that he heard a woman screaming after the final gunshot on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed was criticised by Barry Roux, because it did not appear in his initial witness statement.

The athlete removed his jacket after entering court

Mr Roux said: "In your evidence you described the woman screaming. You said you could hear the fear. What is significant is that in your wife's (Michelle Burger) testimony, she said she could hear the woman's intense fear in her screams. Yet this is not in your statement.

"When you gave evidence yesterday, it was not stated in your statement but you now speak about the scream after the last shot.

"I think you don't know what you are saying. You are saying all the evidence that your wife gave us yesterday."

Pistorius leans over the dock to talk to members of his legal team

But Mr Johnson said: "I don't think it is strange that we used the same words."

The issue of the sound of a woman screaming is a key point for the prosecution. The claims by neighbours that they heard the screams suggest Pistorius would have known it was Ms Steenkamp, rather than an intruder, as he fired.

At one point, as Mr Roux became increasingly exasperated during his questioning, he turned around and glanced at Pistorius and told Mr Johnson: "A man's life is at stake here."

The athlete arrived at the Pretoria court flanked by his cousins

Pistorius showed no emotion as he - surrounded by his cousins - entered the court in South Africa's administrative capital earlier.

There were shouts and whistles as he made his way through the crowd towards the court's entrance.

Mr Johnson started his evidence by saying his phone number was read out in court on Tuesday, and he had received phone calls from members of the public as a result.

Pistorius wiped his eyes during the emotional second day of the trial

He said: "The message was intimidating. I feel that my privacy has been compromised."

He said one caller left a voicemail message saying: "Why are you lying in court? You know Oscar didn't kill Reeva. It's not cool."

He will return to court on Thursday to continue giving evidence. In the meantime the defence will pore over notes he made about the night of the killing.

Pistorius says he mistakenly thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder

Pistorius faces four charges: premeditated murder, the illegal possession of ammunition and two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

Pistorius, known as Blade Runner, denies all of the charges, including the allegation he deliberately killed his girlfriend after a jealous row.

He maintains he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

If he is found guilty Pistorius could be jailed for at least 25 years. His fate will be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa because South Africa does not have a jury system.

More follows...

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Putin: 'I Hope Force Won't Be Needed' In Ukraine

Ukraine: Russian Troops Fire Warning Shots

Updated: 11:43am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

Russian soldiers have fired warning shots into the air as around 300 Ukrainian troops marched on the seized Belbek air base in Crimea.

It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken for the first time since the crisis began, warning he will use "all means" to protect Russian citizens against what he called an "unconstitutional coup".

At the Belbek base, around a dozen Russian soldiers warned the unarmed Ukrainian servicemen to back away as they approached the base.

The Russians then fired several shots into the air, saying they would shoot the Ukrainians if they continued to approach the base.

A video of the confrontation shows a Russian soldier saying to the Ukranians: "I want your officer here. We'll be shooting your legs."

A Ukrainian soldier responds: "You will pay for this. You'll be responsible."

"America stands with us," a Ukrainian soldier says.

The Russian soldier later replies: "Commander, clam down your crowd."

Sky's Katie Stallard, who is at the air base, said wives and mothers of the Ukrainian servicemen were standing between the two lines to prevent any bloodshed.

She said: "There are around a dozen women, wives and mothers, standing in front of their men because they believe they (Russian soldiers) will be more reluctant to fire on them." 

The US has suspended all military engagements with Russia over its deployment of troops in Crimea.

Some 16,000 Russian troops are on the ground in the region - a move that the US said is in a clear violation of international law.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said all military exercises, port visits, bilateral talks and planning conferences between Russia and the US are on hold because of Moscow's actions.

Mr Putin has ordered troops taking part in military exercises close to the Ukrainian border in western Russia to return to their permanent bases on Tuesday.

But hundreds of Russian soldiers have remained at a military base near the Crimean capital Simferopol, preventing Ukrainian soldiers from going in or out.

Russian forces have also seized a border checkpoint on the Ukrainian border between Russia and Crimea, Reuters reported.

Moscow's UN envoy told a stormy meeting of the UN Security Council that Ukraine's ousted leader Viktor Yanukovych had sent a letter to Mr Putin requesting that he use Russia's military to restore law and order in Ukraine.

Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin, reading from an unofficial translation of the letter he said was dated March 1, said: "The country has plunged into chaos and anarchy.

"The country is in the grip of outright terror and violence driven by the West. People are persecuted on political and language grounds.

"In this context, I appeal to the President of Russia Vladimir V Putin to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to re-establish the rule of law, peace, order, stability and to protect the people of Ukraine."

But US President Barack Obama warned Moscow it would find itself "on the wrong side of history" - and that Russia's deployment of troops in Ukraine violates international law.

He spoke shortly after Mr Putin's aides were forced to deny reports that Russian forces have given the Ukrainian navy until 3am (5am local time) on Tuesday to surrender.

America said any threat by Russia to Ukraine forces would represent a "dangerous escalation" in the crisis, and Moscow would be held responsible.

Moscow has also threatened it could be forced to drop the dollar as a reserve currency and refuse to pay off loans to US banks if the US imposes sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

British Prime Minister David Cameron called for the world to send Russia a "clear message" about its actions.

US Senator John McCain has criticised Mr Obama's handling of the crisis and described him as "totally naive".

He told Sky News it was time the US had a "cold-eyed view of Putin" and said it should immediately impose "severe economic sanctions" on Moscow and reinstall missile defence systems in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Nato will hold more emergency talks on the crisis on Tuesday after Poland requested consultations with its allies on the threat posed by Moscow.

The Russian foreign ministry said Nato's criticism of its actions in Crimea "will not help stabilise" the situation in Ukraine.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius Defence Team On The Attack

Two things are already clear from the opening stages of Oscar Pistorius' murder trial: the athlete intends to play a full role in his defence; and his lawyers plan to pursue an aggressive approach as they try to keep him out of jail.

In his bail hearing last February, Pistorius struggled to compose himself, frequently breaking down in tears as he sat shaking in court.

This time he has appeared calm and focused, and from the start of the case he has been busy taking notes.

Pistorius says he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for a burglar

Several times he has handed slips of paper to his legal team, participating in every stage. The athlete, famed for his determination on the track, seems to have brought some of that steel to his trial.

He and his lawyers have had a year to prepare and there is little doubt the Paralympic athlete has been key to the discussions about strategy. 

He certainly knew what to expect when he hired Advocate Barry Roux to lead his defence: a bruiser of an attorney, famed for his ability to win cases and rattle witnesses on the stand.

He lived up to that reputation as he launched his cross-examination of the prosecution's first witness.

Barry Roux is famed for his ability to win cases

Michell Burger, a neighbour of the athlete, had told the court how she was awoken by screaming on the night Pistorius shot dead Reeva Steenkamp. 

She described the woman's cries as "blood-curdling" and said she also heard a man shouting for help.

She also spoke of her horror at hearing four gunshots being fired.

Pistorius leaves court after the first day of the trial

Mr Roux, well aware that this was damaging evidence - contradicting Pistorius' defence that he thought Ms Steenkamp was asleep in bed and he was shooting at an intruder - went on the offensive.

The questions were fired fast to try to unsettle the witness; she was accused of being confused and even asked to vouch for the honesty of her husband who had heard more than four shots.

Mr Roux claimed the woman's voice she heard could have been Pistorius and that the shots were the sound of the athlete using a cricket bat to break down the bathroom door after realising he had shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake.

It was a fiery exchange, with Ms Burger sticking to her account, but Mr Roux might have introduced just a hint of doubt where before there was none.

We can expect more of this, Pistorius sharply focused on his freedom, as Barry Roux spars with the renowned and tenacious lead prosecutor, Gerrie Nel.

There is no jury for the two men to sway, just one judge, Thokozile Masipa, who will ultimately decide what really happened to the 29-year-old Ms Steenkamp that night and, with it, Pistorius' fate.

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday at 9.30pm.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Trial: Reeva 'Couldn't Have Screamed'

Oscar Pistorius' defence team says claims by a neighbour that she heard a woman's screams after Reeva Steenkamp was shot will be thrown into doubt by expert evidence.

Neighbour Michelle Burger, who says she heard Ms Steenkamp being killed by Pistorius, is being grilled by the athlete's defence team for a second day.

Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

She told the packed courtroom in South Africa's administrative capital Pretoria she heard a woman screaming as shots were being fired in Pistorius' residence.

But Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux said: "We will debate the sequence of the bullets. We will have experts state that there was serious brain damage after the shot to the head, that it would not have been possible for her to scream at all."

Pistorius chats with his legal team during a break

Ms Burger replied: "As I said yesterday, I heard her voice just after the last shot. It could have been that it was as the last shot was fired."

Mr Roux opened Tuesday's questioning by saying he wanted to focus on two aspects of Ms Burger, her "credibility and reliability".

Pistorius looks on from the dock as the case unfolds

Mr Roux has repeatedly attempted to establish this morning that Ms Burger had already decided she did not believe Pistorius' account of the evening - that he believed there was an intruder in his home - when she gave her evidence contradicting his story.

She is the prosecution's key witness, as her account of hearing a woman's screams suggests Pistorius would have known that it was his girlfriend rather than an intruder when he fired.

The world's media is watching the case closely

A tense exchange between Mr Roux and Ms Burger came to a climax when he said he had asked her the same question eight times.

"I'm going to be really slow this time," he said. "You heard at the bail application that it was put on behalf of Mr Pistorius that Reeva did not scream that night, is that correct?"

Pistorius' family are in the public gallery

After giving an unclear answer, Judge Thokozile Masipa insisted that she had to give a clear answer. Eventually, the witness admitted she had heard about Pistorius' claims.

Mr Roux said: "You've watched Sky News, you've watched other channels, and you've got retrospective knowledge and you take that knowledge and you come and give evidence today as if it's the knowledge of that fateful evening."

The Pretoria home of Pistorius pictured after the shooting

Earlier, the trial was temporarily delayed after an image of the witness was used by a South African news organisation.

The trial is being televised, but witnesses can choose not to appear on camera.

Pistorius turns to chat to his uncle

Ms Burger does not want to be filmed or pictured, and the case was temporarily adjourned just before 8am after Judge Masipa was alerted to an image of the witness that had appeared in local media.

The judge said she viewed the error as "serious" and ordered an investigation.

The Paralympic athlete looks down at his notes

The double-amputee is accused of the premeditated murder of Ms Steenkamp last Valentine's Day after a jealous row, illegal possession of ammunition and two additional counts relating to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

The 27-year-old, who is known as the Blade Runner, denies all the charges against him. He claims he shot his girlfriend by mistake at his home after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial, large parts of which can be broadcast live after a landmark ruling, is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

South Africa does not have a jury system. Instead, Judge Masipa will decide his fate.

If Pistorius is found guilty he could be jailed for at least 25 years.

More follows...

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday at 9.30pm.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Putin Poised For Next Move In Ukraine Crisis

Putin Is Cracking The Whip On The West

Updated: 10:29am UK, Monday 03 March 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

He's done it again.

With the swashbuckling approach to international affairs that fits his popular bare-chested public persona, Vladimir Putin has outmanoeuvred his Western rivals and local challengers.

Barack Obama, the leader of the world's greatest superpower, has been left looking like a salmon gasping on a river bank.

John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, unwittingly put his finger on why.

"You just don't in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext," he harrumphed.

Well, if you're Mr Putin, you do.

You destabilise regions where you have cultural linguistic ties, like Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and then if you feel the time is right you invade them like a 19th-century Tsar and take charge in the name of protecting your natural subjects.

There is nothing surprising about what happened in the Crimea. Only that the Western powers, nests of super-expensive spy agencies and cyber surveillance, were left entirely gormless and thunderstruck when Russian commandos, posing as "gunmen", quietly took over airport and government buildings.

But one did not need MI6, the CIA, European spooks and cyber nerds to guess that Mr Putin meant business when he identified the new government in Kiev as being the products of a fascist revolution and mobilised 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders. You just had to keep your head out of the sand.

But that is where Western powers have been shoving it throughout the recent Putin years.

They did this because they are powerless to stop him. They don't have his dash or his amoral lack of concern for anything other than what he perceives to be Russia's interests.

He has not been wringing his hands over Syria - a country he has repeatedly said should be left to make its own sovereign way (unlike Ukraine).

He has behaved with the total hypocrisy and certainty of purpose that made nations great in the 19th century.

Empires were built, the biggest by the Brits, on perfidy, dash, ruthlessness and clarity.

He has backed Bashar al Assad. He has backed Iran.

As a result he has the most influence in the Syria nightmare.

He also has the most influence in determining or at least shaping Iran's nuclear future - and if Tehran gets the bomb, then making sure that he's on the right side of its leadership.

As in Ukraine, the West is enjoying baying at the Russian bear from the moral high ground.

But it has no levers that it is serious about pulling, either in the Middle East or in Crimea.

Threats of snubbing the G8 pow-wow in Sochi in June, even of economic sanctions, hardly matter to the Kremlin.

Moscow can cause economic mayhem in Europe just by turning off the gas taps.

Mr Kerry told the CBS programme Face The Nation that there would be "very serious repercussions" for Moscow and said G8 nations and some other countries are "prepared to go to the hilt to isolate Russia" with an array of options.

"They're prepared to put sanctions in place, they're prepared to isolate Russia economically, the rouble is already going down. Russia has major economic challenges," he said.

That may be true.

But Mr Putin has the whip in his hand, and he's already doing the cracking.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Markets Tumble As Ukraine Tensions Escalate

World stock markets have fallen while the Russian ruble has hit its lowest ever level against the dollar over escalating tensions in Ukraine.

Investors are worried by the diplomatic stand-off between the West and Russia over President Vladimir Putin's decision to effectively occupy Ukraine's Crimea region following the change in leadership in Kiev.

The US threatened possible asset freezes and trade penalties as a response to Russia's military intervention.

The resulting flight from risk on the markets first saw stocks fall and gold rise in Asia, where the Nikkei in Japan lost 1.3%.

Russia's MICEX stock exchange later lost up to 10% of its value when it opened for business while Russia's central bank reacted to a plunge in the value of the rouble by raising its core interest rate to 7% from 5.5%.

President Putin is risking economic isolation with the West

The central bank did not mention Ukraine in its statement, but said the decision was aimed at preventing "risks to inflation and financial stability associated with the recently increased level of volatility in the financial markets".

The ruble, which was already down nearly 10% this year, had fallen below 50 to the euro for the first time.

It began trading below 36.4 to the dollar, also a record.

Dealers estimated Russia's central bank also sold up to $10bn of its gold and foreign exchange reserves, to help stem the ruble's fall.

Gold is among the commodities to rise alongside oil and wheat

Shares in Russian state-owned Gazprom were down more than 10% amid reports it will have to end discounted gas deals with Ukraine as tensions intensify over the debt-laden country's future.

European stock markets responded to the uncertainty in the region by falling more than 2% in some cases in early trading.

In London, the FTSE 100 lost 1.6% in the first few minutes of trading, with only two companies seeing any gains.

Oil major BP, which has a significant stake in Russia's biggest oil producer Rosneft, fell more than 1% on concerns of an escalation in tensions.

Separately, Rosneft shares slumped more than 8% in Russia.

Commodities were also volatile, with Brent Crude oil rising 2% and a combination of the crisis in Ukraine and poor weather combining to push wheat costs up almost 5%.

Gold was another asset to see gains as investors looked to move their money towards the traditional safe haven.

The market instability played out as efforts to help shore up Ukraine's finances gained momentum.

It was confirmed an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will arrive in Kiev on Monday as the country seeks $35bn (£21bn) in financial assistance to avoid bankruptcy.

The uncertainty was felt across most markets because of the implications of a potential tit-for-tat trade battle - likely to be the first step of the international response to Russia's intervention.

While Russia's biggest export is the supply of oil and gas, it imports the vast majority of its goods and experts said the combination of higher interest rates and a weak ruble would push up inflation - making life tougher for Russian consumers.

Moscow would be reluctant to turn off the gas taps because, while its major pipelines pass through Ukraine, it would miss the revenues and risk alienating relations with major customers like Germany even more.

Daniel McCormack, strategist with Macquarie, said of the reaction by investors: "Clearly the market is in a risk-off mode on the back of the geopolitical developments, the most concerning for Europe since the end of the cold war.

"All eyes will be on whether it spreads but I doubt that there will be a major sell-off as a result of this.

"It appears that the West is not going to intervene militarily, so this escalating into a full-blown war is very unlikely. The market is also supported by macroeconomic factors and central banks."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russia And China 'In Agreement' Over Ukraine

Russia has said China is largely "in agreement" over the situation in Ukraine after the other G8 nations condemned its intrusion into the country.

Hundreds of suspected Russian troops have surrounded a Ukrainian military base near Crimea's capital Simferopol, preventing soldiers from going in or out.

The convoy blockading the site includes at least 17 military vehicles, which have Russian number plates.

Rear Admiral Berezovsky announces his defection before TV cameras

Troops were also reported to have taken control of a ferry terminal in the city of Kerch, around 12 miles (19km) by boat from Russia on the eastern tip of the Crimea region, and Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of blocking mobile telephone communications in parts of the peninsula.

The men, who were speaking Russian, have refused to identify themselves.

But Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk insisted his country "will never give up Crimea to anyone" and urged Russian forces to withdraw.

Russian servicemen outside a Ukrainian military unit in Perevalnoye, Crimea

It comes as Moscow's Stock Exchange dropped around 10% in the first hour of trading, and Russia's central Bank Rossii raised its rate to 7% from 5.5% as the ruble hit an historic low against the dollar and the euro.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Ukraine by telephone with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Monday, and claimed they had "broadly coinciding points of view" on the situation there, according to a ministry statement.

Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, he said Russian troops were necessary in Ukraine "until the normalisation of the political situation".

He added: "We call for a responsible approach, to put aside geopolitical calculations, and above all to put the interests of the Ukrainian people first."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said: "China has always upheld the principles of diplomacy and the fundamental norms of international relations.

"At the same time we also take into consideration the history and the current complexities of the Ukrainian issue."

As the tense stand-off continues between Russian and Ukrainian forces, the other seven nations of the G8 urged Moscow to hold talks with Kiev.

William Hague said the crisis was the biggest in Europe in the 21st century

"We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the President of the European Council and President of the European Commission, join together today to condemn the Russian Federation's clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," they said in a statement.

"We have decided for the time being to suspend our participation in activities associated with the preparation of the scheduled G8 Summit in Sochi in June."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is in Kiev for talks on the crisis, said Russia has taken operational control of Crimea and described its intervention in Ukraine as the biggest crisis in Europe in the 21st century.

A soldier stands guard outside Perevalnoye

At a news conference with Mr Yatseniuk, he said: "If this situation cannot resolve itself, if Russia cannot be persuaded to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, there will have to be other consequences and other costs.

"Russia should be in no doubt about this, this is something we take very seriously, that we have to take very seriously, because if this becomes the normal way of behaving in the world, of intruding or violating the sovereignty of neighbours, well then clearly that would be an even bigger crisis in international affairs."

Prime Minister David Cameron also tweeted he will chair a meeting of the National Security Council on the "British and international response to the grave situation in Ukraine".

Mr Yatseniuk indicated his country was mobilising for war following the move, saying in English: "This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country."

Mr Yatseniuk heads a pro-Western government that took power in the former Soviet republic when its Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted last week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Kiev on Tuesday to show "strong support for Ukrainian sovereignty".

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a treason case against its new navy chief after he switched allegiance to the pro-Russian Crimea region.

Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky was appointed head of Ukraine's navy on Saturday, but appearing before cameras in Sevastopol alongside Sergiy Aksyonov, the pro-Russian prime minister of Crimea's regional parliament, he said he had ordered Ukrainian naval forces there to disregard orders from "self-proclaimed" authorities in Kiev.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.46 | 0 komentar | Read More