Ukraine tension soars as gunmen seize Crimea parliament

Kiev and western powers have urged Moscow not to use its military in Ukraine, after gunmen seized parliament in a mostly ethnic-Russian region and fugitive Viktor Yanukovich broke his silence to insist he was still the rightful president.

Mr Yanukovich is expected to hold a press conference today in Russia, which has guaranteed his safety. He fled Kiev last Friday night after deadly protests against his corrupt and increasingly brutal rule.

Ukraine’s new pro-EU government was approved by parliament yesterday, but any celebratory mood among protest leaders was darkened by Mr Yanukovich’s defiance and dramatic events in Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula with a large ethnic-Russian majority.

Russian flag raised
In the early hours, masked gunmen stormed the local parliament in the regional capital of Simferopol, ejected guards from the building and raised Russia's flag over the roof.

“Our activists were sitting there all night calmly, building the barricades. At 5 o’clock unknown men turned up and went to the building. They got into the courtyard and put everyone on the ground,” said one pro-Russian activist called Maxim, who claimed the men had automatic rifles and grenade- launchers.

“They were asking who we were. When we said we stand for the Russian language and Russia, they said: ‘Don’t be afraid. We’re with you.‘ Then they began to storm the building, bringing down the doors. They didn’t look like volunteers or amateurs; they were professionals. This was clearly a well-organised operation.”

The raiders threw a stun grenade at journalists who approached the building, and told one local leader they were not empowered to negotiate with him.

Later, officials said, the gunmen “invited” deputies to hold a special session of parliament in the building, a day after it was postponed due to rival protests outside by pro-Russian demonstrators and Crimean Tatars who support Ukraine’s revolution and oppose closer ties with Moscow.

Autonomy referendum
At the session, the parliament voted to hold a referendum on increasing Crimea's autonomy within Ukraine. The poll is to be held on May 25th, the same day as a national presidential election has been called by the country's new authorities. The assembly also sacked the local government and named Sergei Aksyonov, leader of a party called Russian Unity, as Crimea's new premier.

Vladimir Konstantinov, speaker of Crimea’s parliament, said local people were demanding more autonomy because Ukraine’s new leaders “don’t listen to us”. Many Crimeans are furious with Kiev’s recent decision to reduce the status of Russian in areas where it is widely spoken.

Kremlin blamed
On Kiev's Independence Square yesterday, where people were honouring scores of protesters shot by security forces a week earlier, the Kremlin was blamed for events in Crimea.

“Russia accused us of extremism when for months we protested peacefully, and then went into government buildings when Yanukovich ran away,” said Oleh Minchuk from western Ukraine.

“Now these Russian guys occupy parliament in Crimea and make the politicians vote on autonomy. Basically with guns to their heads. It’s crazy.”

Ostap Kryvdyk, a spokesman for the revolution’s self-defence groups, said: “This is Russia’s doing. I think it gives a clear picture to the world of what kind of country we are dealing with.”

Ukraine’s new authorities appear to have little control over Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base. Russian armoured personnel carriers were seen on roads outside Simferopol yesterday, and local officials have rejected an order from Kiev to disband a riot police unit that was widely condemned for its violence against protesters.

“Ukraine is being torn apart,” said new premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk. “But Ukraine sees its future in Europe. We will be a part of the European Union.”

'Act of aggression'
Interim president Oleksandr Turchynov said any unusual movement of Russian troops outside their Crimea base would "be considered an act of aggression".

On Wednesday, Russia carried out major military exercises near its border with Ukraine, including some 150,000 troops, attack aircraft and tanks.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the US was "closely watching" the manoeuvres.

“We strongly support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We expect other nations to do the same,” he said. “We urge [Russia] not to take any steps that could be misinterpreted or lead to a miscalculation during a very delicate time,” he said. Nato issued similar warnings.

Mr Yanukovich, who was last seen in Crimea on Sunday, said yesterday that he was still Ukraine’s legitimate leader and that the new authorities were illegal.

“I am forced to ask Russia to ensure my personal safety from extremists,” he said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies, which later quoted an unnamed Russian official saying the request had been “granted on the territory of Russia”.

Russian media say Mr Yanukovich will hold a press conference today in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, about 100km from Ukraine’s border.