Kiev Riots

Russia's parliament will respect the "historic choice" to be made by Crimea when the Ukrainian region's people vote in a referendum on joining Russia later this month, the speaker of the Russian lower house said.

After losing control of Crimea, Ukraine's embattled new government is turning to the nation's oligarchs to stamp out the flames of separatism in the mainly Russian-speaking east.

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded and won his parliament's approval on Saturday to invade Ukraine, where the new government warned of war, put its troops on high alert and appealed to NATO for help.

President Barack Obama on Saturday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the tense atmosphere in Ukraine by pulling his forces back to bases in the country's Crimean region and to refrain from interfering elsewhere in the former Soviet republic.

Many residents have long been indignant that Sevastopol was deprived of the right to elect a mayor by the political centre in Kiev, which had named the top city official since 1992.

Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula, a top Ukrainian official has said, accusing Moscow of an "armed invasion".

President Barack Obama warned Russia on Friday that military intervention in Ukraine would lead to "costs," as tension with old foe President Vladimir Putin rose in a Cold War-style crisis.

Ukraine's ousted pro-Moscow President is set to hold a press conference on Friday after emerging defiant from hiding, as fears grow of a regional conflict in the volatile Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine's new pro-Western leaders on Wednesday disbanded the country's feared riot police as they sought to win confidence from the splintered and economically ravaged nation in their efforts to forge a unity government.

Russian riot police detained hundreds of Kremlin opponents on Monday, moving swiftly to curb protests over the jailing of activists convicted of attacking police at a rally against President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine's parliament, exercising power since mass protests put the president to flight, named its new speaker as acting head of state on Sunday to replace Viktor Yanukovich and worked to form a new government.

Protesters took control of Ukraine's capital on Saturday, seizing the President's office as parliament voted to remove him and hold new elections. President Viktor Yanukovych described the events as a coup and insisted he would not step down.

Ukraine's deputy army chief has resigned in protest over government attempts to involve the army to put down unrest rocking the country, after Kiev erupted in unprecedented deadly violence.

Tossing firebombs, protesters advanced upon police lines on Thursday in Ukraine's embattled capital. Government snipers shot back, killing at least 70 people and wounding hundreds of others, according to a protest doctor.

Thick, dark smoke rose above the centre of the Ukrainian capital amid the boom of police stun grenades Wednesday, as officers in riot gear sought to push demonstrators away from the city's main square following deadly clashes between police and protesters that left at least 25 people dead and hundreds injured and raised fears of a civil war.

Russia's parliament will respect the "historic choice" to be made by Crimea when the Ukrainian region's people vote in a referendum on joining Russia later this month, the speaker of the Russian lower house said.

After losing control of Crimea, Ukraine's embattled new government is turning to the nation's oligarchs to stamp out the flames of separatism in the mainly Russian-speaking east.

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded and won his parliament's approval on Saturday to invade Ukraine, where the new government warned of war, put its troops on high alert and appealed to NATO for help.

President Barack Obama on Saturday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the tense atmosphere in Ukraine by pulling his forces back to bases in the country's Crimean region and to refrain from interfering elsewhere in the former Soviet republic.

Many residents have long been indignant that Sevastopol was deprived of the right to elect a mayor by the political centre in Kiev, which had named the top city official since 1992.

Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula, a top Ukrainian official has said, accusing Moscow of an "armed invasion".

President Barack Obama warned Russia on Friday that military intervention in Ukraine would lead to "costs," as tension with old foe President Vladimir Putin rose in a Cold War-style crisis.

Ukraine's ousted pro-Moscow President is set to hold a press conference on Friday after emerging defiant from hiding, as fears grow of a regional conflict in the volatile Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine's new pro-Western leaders on Wednesday disbanded the country's feared riot police as they sought to win confidence from the splintered and economically ravaged nation in their efforts to forge a unity government.

Russian riot police detained hundreds of Kremlin opponents on Monday, moving swiftly to curb protests over the jailing of activists convicted of attacking police at a rally against President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine's parliament, exercising power since mass protests put the president to flight, named its new speaker as acting head of state on Sunday to replace Viktor Yanukovich and worked to form a new government.

Protesters took control of Ukraine's capital on Saturday, seizing the President's office as parliament voted to remove him and hold new elections. President Viktor Yanukovych described the events as a coup and insisted he would not step down.

Ukraine's deputy army chief has resigned in protest over government attempts to involve the army to put down unrest rocking the country, after Kiev erupted in unprecedented deadly violence.

Tossing firebombs, protesters advanced upon police lines on Thursday in Ukraine's embattled capital. Government snipers shot back, killing at least 70 people and wounding hundreds of others, according to a protest doctor.

Thick, dark smoke rose above the centre of the Ukrainian capital amid the boom of police stun grenades Wednesday, as officers in riot gear sought to push demonstrators away from the city's main square following deadly clashes between police and protesters that left at least 25 people dead and hundreds injured and raised fears of a civil war.