You're reading: The Wall Street Journal: Russia extends reach in Crimea with calls for troops in Ukrainian region

Russia extended its reach in Crimea on Saturday as officials in the restive Ukrainian region called on Russian troops to help provide security and as Crimea's newly appointed prime minister, who is pro-Russian, said he was taking command of the peninsula's police and army. Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, Saturday issued an appeal to President Vladimir Putin to "use all available means to defend the population of Crimea from disorder and violence," Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin said on Russian state TV.

Read more.