Ukraine 'preparing withdrawal of troops from Crimea'
Watch key footage as pro-Russians take over Sevastopol navy base
Ukraine is drawing up plans to withdraw its soldiers and their families from Crimea, Kiev's security chief says.
Earlier, pro-Russian forces seized two naval bases - including Ukraine navy's HQ - in Crimea. Kiev says its navy chief has been detained.
It comes a day after Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow absorbing the peninsula into Russia.
A referendum in Crimea on Sunday, approving its split from Ukraine, came nearly a month after Kiev's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities.
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In modern times, Moscow has staged three major invasions:
Hungary in November 1956 and Czechoslovakia in August 1968, when the
Communist governments there began showing dangerously Western
tendencies; and Afghanistan in December 1979, when the pro-Communist
regime was on the point of collapse.
These were huge and brutal operations, involving large numbers of tanks, and sometimes great bloodshed.
The takeover of Crimea has been completely different. This was an infiltration, not an invasion. And unlike in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan it was welcomed by a large proportion of the local population.
Analysis
These were huge and brutal operations, involving large numbers of tanks, and sometimes great bloodshed.
The takeover of Crimea has been completely different. This was an infiltration, not an invasion. And unlike in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan it was welcomed by a large proportion of the local population.
Nato Secretary General Anders
Fogh Rasmussen has called the crisis in Crimea "the gravest threat to
European security and stability since the end of the Cold War".
"Russia it seems has re-written its borders but it cannot rewrite the facts," said Ms Power, who was then accused by Mr Churkin of dropping "to the level of the tabloid press".
'Demilitarised zone'
Mr Parubiy, in a news conference, set out more details on Kiev's position in light of the events in Crimea.
He said arrangements were now being set up to introduce visas for Russian nationals travelling to Ukraine.
And he said Kiev was seeking UN support to "proclaim Crimea a demilitarised zone", which would involve the withdrawal of Russian troops and the "relocation of Ukrainian troops to continental Ukraine as well as facilitate evacuation of all the civilian population who are unwilling to remain on the occupied territory".
Ukraine is also leaving the Moscow-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) alliance, and is preparing for military exercises with the US and the UK, Mr Parubiy added.
With reference to plans to withdraw troops and their families, Ukraine's interim Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya told the BBC that they would not be forced to leave if they did not want to.
But he said: "The situation is unpredictable and uncontrolled sometimes, so that's why there is a danger also for the civilians".
Meanwhile, a deadline of 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) set by Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov for the release of navy chief Serhiy Hayduk has passed.
Mr Turchynov earlier said that unless Mr Hayduk and "all the other hostages - both military and civilian ones - were released, the authorities would carry out an adequate response... of a technical and technological nature".
It is not clear exactly what he means, but it could involve the electricity or water that Ukraine supplies to Crimea, the BBC's David Stern in Kiev suggests.
Pro-Russian crowds broke into the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol
They removed Ukrainian symbols including this gate
Ukrainian flags have been removed and replaced with Russian ones
Many Ukrainian officers left the base, although some said they would not surrender
They were filmed going through offices, removing Ukrainian insignia and replacing Ukraine's flag with the Russian tricolour.
There were cheers from the crowd when Russia's Black Sea Fleet commander Aleksandr Vitko arrived and entered the building.
A handful of Ukrainian servicemen have refused to surrender. One told the BBC's Mark Lowen that they had been told to stay overnight to protect the equipment but fully expected to be told by Kiev in the morning to withdraw.
Footage shows the head of Ukraine state TV being beaten until he signs his own resignation letter
Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh and First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema reportedly tried to enter Crimea to defuse tensions but were prevented from doing so.
'Clear warning'
Earlier on Wednesday, Russia's constitutional court approved the treaty absorbing Crimea into the Russian Federation. The treaty now only needs ratifying by parliament which correspondents say it is certain to do.
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Crisis timeline
- 21 Nov 2013: President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal
- Dec: Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square
- 20-21 Feb 2014: At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes
- 22 Feb: Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election
- 27-28 Feb: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea. Parliament, under siege, appoints pro-Moscow Sergei Aksyonov a PM
- 6 Mar: Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia
- 16 Mar: Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum
- 17 Mar: Crimean parliament declares independence and formally applies to join Russia
- 18 Mar: Russian and Crimean leaders sign deal in Moscow to join the region to Russia
In an emotionally charged speech
on Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin said Crimea had "always been and
remains an inseparable part of Russia".
The crisis in Crimea is expected to dominate a meeting of European Union leaders who meet in Brussels on Thursday.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the EU must send "a very clear warning" to Russia, raising the possibility of further sanctions against Moscow. He also said the G8 group should discuss whether to expel Russia "if further steps are taken".
Moscow said any expansion of sanctions was "unacceptable and will not remain without consequences".
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is heading to the region. He will meet Mr Putin in Moscow on Thursday and Ukraine's interim leaders in Kiev on Friday.
Pro-Russian forces effectively took over Crimea - with its predominantly ethnic Russian population - after Mr Yanukovych fled Ukraine on 22 February following protests in which more than 80 people were killed.
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