Dear friends!

International Renaissance Foundation, Kyiv: Dear colleagues!

Russia has carried out an act of aggression towards Ukraine. Russian troops have entered Crimea. Thus we take it upon ourselves to inform you about the events in Ukraine. We will provide you with yet another viewpoint regarding this conflict. We will do our best to remain fair and objective.

March 7 – Moscow does not believe that current Ukrainian authorities are legitimate and is ceasing political relations with Kyiv, said Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

March 7 – State Border Service of Ukraine has stated that over 30 thousand Russian servicemen are currently stationed in Crimea.

March 7 – On Friday, military observers of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have yet again been prevented from entering Crimea by pro-Russian separatists.

March 7 – Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation is insisting that there are no Russian servicemen in Crimea. Thus Moscow doesn’t understand why there is such a strong reaction on behalf of the Council of Europe.

March 7 – The only independent Crimean Tatar TV station ATR has had its Internet connection cut off.

March 7 – In Sevastopol, “unknown” separatists have severely assaulted the journalists representing Ukrainian TV channel “Inter”, who were attempting to film the military attack on Ukrainian military unit #2355 by Russian servicemen.

March 7 – A military attack on a command post of the tactical group “Krym” of the Ukrainian Air Forces has occurred during the night. Ukrainian servicemen are remaining in a bunker; communication with them has not been established.

March 7 – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime-Minister of Turkey, has assured that Ankara will not let Crimean Tatars down in these troubled times. He mentioned that he had discussed the situation in Crimea with the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

March 7 – During a telephone conversation, United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel thanked his Ukrainian counterpart for what he said was the “admirable restraint” the country's armed forces have shown.

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