US Secretary of State John Kerry says the US is not looking for a Cold War-style confrontation with Russia over Ukraine. Courtesy Andrea Mitchell Reports/MSNBC
ARMED men have reportedly stormed a regional government and parliament building on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
The latest crisis comes after Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov warned of "dangerous signs of separatism" in parts of the country, amid anger at the ousting of Viktor Yanukovych from power.
Earlier, the US warned Russia against a military intervention in Ukraine, saying such a move would be a "grave mistake,'' as troops in western Russia were placed on high alert for massive new war games in the area, including near the Russian-Ukrainian border.
"This is not 'Rocky IV','' US Secretary of State John Kerry said, referring to the iconic 1985 Sylvester Stallone film in which an ageing American boxer takes on a daunting Soviet muscleman. "It is not a zero-sum game. We do not view it through the lens of East-West, Russia-US or anything else. We view it as an example of people within a sovereign nation who are expressing their desire to choose their future. And that's a very powerful force.''
Breaking point ... Crimean Tatars clash with a police officer in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea.
Noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered large-scale military exercises in what many see as a show of force or possible prelude to intervention in Ukraine, Kerry said it would be hypocritical for Moscow to send troops into another country after spending the last several years opposing foreign military action in places like Libya and Syria.
"For a country that has spoken out so frequently in the last year ... against foreign intervention in Libya, Syria, elsewhere, it would be important for them to heed those warnings as they think about options in the sovereign nation of Ukraine.'' Kerry said. "Any kind of military intervention that would violate the sovereign territorial integrity of Ukraine would be a huge, a grave mistake. And the territorial integrity of Ukraine needs to be respected.''
In delivering the blunt message, Senator Kerry also announced the Obama administration was planning $1 billion in loan guarantees for Ukraine and would consider additional direct assistance for the former Soviet republic following unrest that led to the ouster of its Russian-backed president.
In the left corner ... Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Russia against a military intervention in Ukraine, saying such a move would be a "grave mistake". Picture: AP / Manuel Balce Ceneta Source: AP
Kerry also renewed US demands that Moscow withdraw troops from disputed enclaves in another former Soviet republic, Georgia, and urged Georgia to further integrate with Europe and NATO.
The warning, aid announcement and nudge westward for Georgia all came amid growing tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine and were likely to fuel already-heightened Russian suspicions over Western intentions in its backyard.
Kerry insisted, however, that that US policy toward Ukraine, Georgia and the other states that once made up the Soviet Union was not aimed at reducing Russia's influence in its neighbourhood. Instead, he maintained that US encouragement for former Soviet states to integrate with the West was driven by America's desire to see their people realise aspirations for freedom in robust democracies with strong economies.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest urged "outside actors'' to respect Ukraine's sovereignty. Without specifically mentioning Russia, Earnest also called on others in the region to end "provocative rhetoric and actions.''
Divided loyalties ... a Pro-Russian demonstrator holds up a Russian flag during a protest in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine, yesterday. Picture: AP / Darko Vojinovic Source: AP
On assistance, Kerry said it was "urgent to move forward'' to help Ukraine but also said it was urgent for Ukraine's interim authorities to enact reforms, curb corruption, and prepare free and fair elections. He said the planned $1 billion in US loan guarantees would be accompanied by additional aid to be determined later in consultation with Congress, as well as about $1.5 billion from the European Union, along with loans from global financial institutions.
Kerry made the comments in a roundtable interview with a small group of reporters at the State Department where he presided over a meeting of the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission earlier yesterday.
Russian Rambo, or Rocky IV? ... President Vladimir Putin walks along the Khemchik River in Siberia during a holiday. Picture: AP / Dmitry Astakhov Source: Supplied
He stressed that the US supports Georgia's membership in NATO — something opposed by Russia — and wants to see it sign a partnership agreement with the European Union later this year. A similar proposed agreement between Ukraine and the EU was among the catalysts that led to the deadly unrest in Kiev that unseated Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovych last week.
Military presence ... A Russian naval vessel is seen in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Sevastopol in the Crimea. Picture: AP / Darko Vojinovic Source: AP
Some Russian officials accuse the West of being behind the revolt against Yanukovych. US and European officials have denied such allegations.
In addition to Putin ordering the military exercises, Russia's defence ministry said it would take steps to strengthen security at facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, where there have been clashes between pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators. Pro-Russian protesters have spoken of secession, and a Russian lawmaker has stoked their passions by promising that Russia will protect them.
Those steps have raised fears of possible Russian military intervention in Ukraine along the lines of its 2008 operation in Georgia, which led to the occupations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and was roundly condemned by the United States and its European allies.
Kerry, sitting next to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, affirmed that the US ``remains steadfast in our support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.''
``We continue to object to Russia's occupation, militarisation and borderization of Georgian territory, and we call on Russia to fulfil its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of forces and free access for humanitarian assistance,'' Kerry said.
Flagging trouble ... a pro-Russian demonstrator holds a Russian flag during a protest in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine. Picture: AP / Darko Vojinovic Source: AP
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