Pro-Russian forces have seized three Ukrainian warships and Ukraine said its troops were being threatened in Crimea as the US announced new sanctions against Russia.
Tensions remained high despite the release of a Ukrainian naval commander held by pro-Russian forces. Shots were fired but there were no casualties as the Ukrainian corvette Khmelnitsky was seized in Sevastopol. Another ship, the Lutsk, was surrounded by Russian forces. Witnesses also reported Ukrainian servicemen disembarking from a third ship, the corvette Ternopil.
Ukrainian deputy defence minister Leonid Polyakov accused Russian troops of constantly threatening to storm military bases where Ukrainian soldiers were located.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations Yuri Klymenko said Russia appeared to be preparing for a military “invasion” in more areas of his country.
President Obama has expanded US economic sanctions against Moscow, targeting President Vladimir Putin’s chief of staff and 19 other individuals as well as a Russian bank that provides them support.
In an address to the German parliament in Berlin, chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU was readying further sanctions and that the G8 forum of leading economies had been suspended indefinitely.
Russia holds the presidency of the G8 and President Putin was due to host his counterparts at a G8 summit in Sochi in June. The US and the EU have slapped sanctions on individuals involved in what they say was Crimea’s unlawful referendum over joining Russia. Moscow formally annexed Crimea earlier this week in the wake of the poll.
Ms Merkel said EU leaders are increasing “level 2” sanctions, which will widen the list of Russians whose assets are being frozen and who are banned from travelling. She also reiterated that, if things worsen, the EU is prepared to move to “level 3” measures, which would include economic sanctions.