As dinner conversations, news shows, and water-cooler talk have turned from Oscar selfies to, well, real news, one topic has dominated the Twitterverse and the airwaves (Russia! Ukraine! Russia invaded Ukraine!).
President Vladimir Putin delivered a robust defense of Russia\’s actions in Crimea on Tuesday and said he would use force in Ukraine only as a last resort, easing market fears that East-West tension over the former Soviet republic could lead to war.
Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, a chief rabbi of Ukraine, accused Russia of staging anti-Semitic “provocations” in Crimea in order to justify its invasion of the former Soviet republic.
Russian forces began moving troops into Ukraine\’s Crimea region by ferry on Monday after seizing control of the border post on the Ukrainian side of the waterway, Ukraine\’s border guards said.
President Barack Obama on Friday expressed concern about reported Russian military movement inside crisis-torn Ukraine and warned of consequences.
Armed men seized the parliament in Ukraine\’s Crimea region on Thursday and raised the Russian flag, alarming Kiev\’s new rulers, who warned Moscow not move troops beyond the confines of its navy base on the peninsula.
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