Russian President Vladimir Putin gathered a snap press conference at his residence near Moscow on Tuesday following his decision to send additional troops to Crimea over the weekend. At his press-conference, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia is not considering annexing Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
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| Ukrainian military commanders return from negotiations with Russian forces in Crimea. Vladimir Putin has described the Russian forces there as "local defense forces". |
Russian troops stationed at its Black Sea Naval Fleet base there are accused by Kiev of crossing the agreed perimeter and interfering into almost a week-long standoff between the Crimean self-defense units and regular Ukrainian army. Vladimir Putin insists that the Russian army’s actions were justified.
During his surprise press-conference on Tuesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin said Russia would not recognize the new government of Ukraine, because it was elected under what he called "the conditions of terror". He said that the country’s interim president, parliament speaker Oleksandr Turchynov, was not a legitimate president.
"A change of power is needed in Ukraine. But that should be done only in a legitimate way - within the framework of the current constitution, and not by overriding it." Putin said.
Vladimir Putin insisted that his decision to send additional troops to Crimea followed a plea from Victor Yanukovich, whom Russia considers a legitimate president - and that Russia decided to respond.
"If we see that lawlessness starting in eastern regions too, if people ask us for help - and we have already an official address from the current legitimate president - we reserve the right to use all options at our disposal to protect those citizens." Putin said.
Vladimir Putin also ruled out any possibility of military action in Ukraine.
"We believed, and we will believe that Ukraine is not only our closest neighbor, but is indeed our brotherly republic.And our armed forces are brothers in arms, friends, many of them know each other personally. And I’m confident that Ukrainian soldiers and Russian soldiers will be not on the opposing sides of the barricades, but on the same side of the barricades." Putin said.
The Russian leader said that Moscow planned its military exercises on the border with Ukraine well before the unrest there took place. He also said Victor Yanukovich was the one responsible for the deaths of 77 people on Kiev’s Maidan.
"If you want, I will tell you even more. He called me on the phone I told him not to do it (shoot at people). I told him an anarchy would follow, chaos will follow in the capital. Feel pity for the people. And as soon as he did it, they seized his office, and the government, and chaos ensued that I warned him about, that is continuing until now." Putin said.
Despite the peace-making rhetoric, Vladimir Putin insisted that Moscow reserved the right to protect ethnic Russians in Ukraine by any means necessary, and added that force would be used only as a last resort.
