Russian upper house approves use of force in Ukraine

CNN ^ | March 1, 2014 | Laura Smith-Spark. Diana Magnay and Ingrid Formanek

[maggief]

Simferopol, Ukraine (CNN) -- [Breaking News Update, 10:02 a.m. ET] (CNN) -- Russia's upper house of parliament voted Saturday to approve the use of military force in Ukraine. The vote was unanimous.

[Original Story, published 9:23 a.m. ET]

(CNN) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the upper house of parliament for approval to send Russian troops into Ukraine's Crimea region to normalize the political situation there, the Kremlin said Saturday.

Due to the "extraordinary situation in Ukraine," Putin said, there are threats to the lives of Russian citizens and Russian military personnel based in the southern Crimean region.

It comes on the same day that the new pro-Russian leader of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, asked Putin for help in maintaining peace in the Black Sea peninsula -- where Russia has a major naval base at Sevastopol.

[crosslink]

I agree, but he will keep going north to all of the states on his boarder using the same method he did here. Send in the gangs, change the mayors and city councils and then raise the Russian flag. Why would he stop in the Crimea.

They all need his protection and he needs control of all the pipelines. Who will stop him? Oh wait John Kerry LOL

[maggief]

See also post #460. Watching for updates or further confirmation.

[crosslink]

I can’t find anything on the explosion what time is it there?Night time is when the special forces are at their best.

[maggief]

just now Senior US official: Russian forces have “complete operational control” of Crimean peninsula - CNN TV /u/BipolarBear0

++++++

a minute ago Paul Gypteau of AFP reporting: “We heard a loud explosion in Simferopol, unclear what is was and where it was from.”

Paul Gypteau @paulgypteau
We heard a loud explosion in #Simferopol, unclear what is was and where it was from.

[maggief]

11:54 PM
Sunday, March 2, 2014 (EET)
Time in Crimea, Ukraine

[crosslink]

Thanks

[crosslink]

abstract Wrote: (Today 11:52 PM)
FreeFlow Wrote: (Today 11:50 PM)
How come, it’s midnight there ...

Not much of a moon either...

Dark of night, no moon! This is the perfect condition for special ops or stealth aircraft combat ops.

[maggief]

Meanwhile...

Oscar night.

DC winter storm warning ... House-no votes tomorrow.

Frank Thorp@frankthorpNBC 2h
JUST IN: The House has cancelled votes for Monday because of the winter weather forecast to hit the DC area tomorrow

[SevenofNine]

OH I go to BBC be back LOL!

[maggief]

3 minutes ago Crowd-sourcing information on BBC’s report of a purported explosion in Simferopol - please contribute reliable sources

RealBreakingNews@real_breaking 7m
#Simferopol explosion was heard from center of city about 11:30pm #Crimea #Ukraine

[maggief]

Douglas Herbert of France24: Two loud explosions heard in central #Simferopol. Going to investigate. https://twitter.com/dougf24/status/440246216677666816

Douglas Herbert @dougf24
Two loud explosions heard in central #Simferopol. Going to investigate. #Crimea #Ukraine

[SevenofNine]

I am on Twitter yeah getting same report WHOA

[maggief]

Freelance journalist in Crimea capital reports: Reports of 2 explosions heard in #Simferpol, #Crimea. Heard one about 20 minutes ago.

https://twitter.com/kjovano/status/440244931190222849

[SevenofNine]

Why I get the feeling Tartars population going get involved going get really ugly VERY SOON

[dfwgator]

Why I get the feeling Tartars population going get involved going get really ugly VERY SOON

And we know who Obama is going to stand with.

[SevenofNine]

Especially SO Cal news media is covering the passing big storm and Oscars they not even mention Ukraine crisis so bad I have go to BBC world news this morning and Al Jazeera America on Verzion channels

[SevenofNine]

OH Yeah count on it
Tartars they don’t take no mess

They once mess with Tsars of all Russia at one time

[caww]

Putin already has control of the pipelines....the turn off valves aren’t in Ukraine if you know what I mean.

Putin’s simply making his plays because he can... and there’s few who can stop him if he really wanted to take over Ukraine or any other nation for that matter..that is not his goal.

Keep in mind China is all but supporting Putins moves.....you don’t think that doesn’t also play into the mix over how far Obama can go. He has zilch clout or power over there and Putin knows that fully well.

[SevenofNine]

Yeah Vlady should get it over with just declared himself Tsar of Ukraine Caww LOL!

Tsar Vladimir 1 or 3 of Russia/Ukraine empire

[maggief]

7 minutes ago BBC have now changed their article to: Two explosions have been heard in Simferopol, Crimea’s capital, with no official details yet available. /u/uptodatepronto

8 minutes ago Sources say that the Russian army blew up ammunition stocks in Simferopol, which would explain the explosions heard.

https://twitter.com/LesNews/status/440248365184733184