Russia urged to keep naval forces in Crimea bases

Ukraine’s acting president has cautioned Russia against any movement of its naval forces in Crimea, calling it an act of “military aggression” against Kiev.

Speaking at a parliament session, Oleksandr Turchynov warned Moscow that the new leadership would consider any troop movements outside the Russian Black Sea fleet’s base in Sevastopol as military aggression.

However, the warning by Kiev’s new authorities has been totally dismissed by Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, who told reporters on Wednesday that Russia’s military intervention in the events in Ukraine “is an impossible scenario.”

The threat by Turchynov comes after pro-Russia gunmen seized government and parliament buildings in Simferopol, Ukraine’s autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Early on Thursday, gunmen hoisted a Russian flag over a barricade in Simferopol, but they have not made any demands yet.

Meanwhile, there were street clashes outside the regional parliament on Wednesday between ethnic Tatars who support Ukraine’s new authorities and pro-Russia protesters in Crimea.

“I have been told that the buildings of parliament and the council of ministers have been occupied by armed men in uniforms that do not bear any recognizable insignia,” Interfax news agency quoted a local Tatar leader, Refat Chubarov, as saying on Facebook.

Following three months of unrest in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities, pro-EU opposition forces ousted President Viktor Yanukovych on Saturday and issued an arrest warrant and accused him of “serious crimes.”

Acting President Turchynov has warned of “dangerous signs of separatism” in parts of the country, with his spokesman saying anyone held responsible for separatist moves should be punished.