Crimea's Prime Minister Sergie Aksenov has been very vocal this morning with comments on nationalizing the region's banks, but the following few comments are sparking concerns:
- *AKSENOV SAYS CRIMEA ISN'T TAKING ORDERS FROM RUSSIA
- *AKSENOV SAYS DOESN'T ENVISAGE UKRAINIAN CIVIL WAR
- *CRIMEA MAY FORMALLY JOIN RUSSIA NEXT WK, INTEGRATE IN 1 YR: PM
We will see what Obama, Merkel, and Ukraine's leadership has to say about that... Turchynov, for one, has warned to be "ready for a full-scale invasion at any moment."
Via Interfax,
The Crimean authorities do not consider the possibility of proclaiming independence "under the Abkhaz scenario" and think that the process of joining Russia will take up to a year, Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said at a briefing in Simferopol on Friday.
"I suppose that the transition period will last up to one year, when we will able to use all the processes and privileges in Russia comprehensively," Aksyonov said.
When asked whether "the Abkhaz variant" was possible, Aksyonov said no. "No, we will not have independence. We currently think, I personally think, that Crimea should join Russia as a Russian region," he said.
At the same time, when asked how quickly Crimea will be able to join Russia after the referendum is held, Aksyonov said: "In terms of passing a legislative act, I think this will be virtually next week and in regard comprehensive joining, transition period will last up to a year at most."
Is that crossing a red line? It certainly seems from Turchynov's words that it is...
Ukraine must be ready for a full-scale Russian invasion "at any moment," the country's acting president warned Thursday, as officials announced the emergency call-up of a 60,000-strong national guard force.
Oleksander Turchynov said Moscow was "ready" to go much further than the annexation of the Black Sea territory of Crimea, which is expected to vote to secede from Ukraine in a referendum on Sunday.
Only clear international pressure could halt slow the momentum of the Kremlin, he said. "All of civilized humanity supports our country," said Mr. Turchynov. "I am sure that this united effort in the international arena, bringing together all democratic countries, can still allow us to halt this aggression."
Ukraine won't give up 'a single centimetre' of Crimea to Russia, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says