For the first time ever, the euro has risen above 50 rubles, while the official dollar-to-ruble exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Russia on Mar. 4, 2014 reached 36.38 rubles to the dollar.
Luciuk: “Russian troops deliberately invaded Ukrainian territory, without just cause. There was never any threat to the Russian-speaking minority anywhere in Ukraine. It is now up to NATO, including Canada, the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, to honour its treaty obligations and help Ukraine defend itself against Russian imperialism. Lest we forget, Western Europe’s failure to support Czechoslovakia against Nazi aggression neither saved that country from dismemberment, nor did appeasement prevent the Second World War.”
The Russian invasion of Crimea is proving to be a disaster for both Russia and Ukraine as both countries suffered massive stock market losses yesterday.
Russia’s “quack on demand” Duma works to give legal support to Mr. Putin’s ambitious expansion plans with a new law that would simplify the absorption of new territories into the country
No one has so far raised any doubts that the letter inviting Russian military intervention was written by former President Yanukovych. However, it is unclear whether the letter was written while Yanukovych was still in Ukraine as president or after his flight to Russia and an overwhelming vote in the Ukrainian parliament stripping him of all presidential powers.
A bill being pushed in the Russian Duma to allow Russia to “absorb and form new subjects,” one that promotes the idea that local referenda can trump international agreements, could backfire on the country and even lead to its destruction
The acting president tells Patriarch Kirill that there are no grounds to talk about discrimination in Ukraine along linguistic, ethnic, or religious lines.
“What cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on the ground and violate basic principles that are recognized around the world. And I think the strong condemnation that it's received from countries around the world indicates the degree to which Russia's on the wrong side of the history on this.”
Ash: “In the pretty limited Western tool kit to be applied by the West against Russia, this is one if the few that can make Moscow think twice.”
Obama also said unless Russia pulls troops out of Ukraine the United States will attempt to isolate the Putin government