Oleksandr Turchynov, Ukraine's acting head of state, today accused Russia of "provoking a conflict" by backing the seizure of the Crimean parliament building and other government offices on the peninsula. Armed gunmen have also seized Crimea's telecommunication company and two airports, prompting numerous flight cancellations.
“They’re playing the Abkhazia scenario,” Turchynov said at a late night briefing in Verkhovna Rada, referring to Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia, which led to the breakaway independence of two of its regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Turchynov also had a direct message to Russian President Vladimir Putin:
“I am personally addressing President Putin to stop the provocation and call back the military from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and work exclusively within the framework of the signed agreements,” Turchynov said.
He also noted that he expects help from the West in assuring Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“I also remind that the United States, Russia and Great Britain are also guarantors of the national security of Ukraine,” Turchynov said, referring to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum that outlined Western guarantees in exchange for Ukraine’s surrender of its Soviet-era nuclear weapons arsenal.
“Because of Verkhovna Rada’s and my personal appeal, the United Nations Security Council is having a session right now,” he said. “The whole civilized world supports Ukraine.”
“We demand to stop the provocation, we demand to normalize the situation. We’re sure that Ukraine will preserve its territory, Ukraine will defend its independence and any attempts of annexation, intrusion will have very serious consequences,” Turchynov said.
