Pro-Russian forces are gradually squeezing the links connecting Crimea to Ukraine
Pro-Russian forces are gradually squeezing the links connecting Crimea to Ukraine, AFP reported.
According to AFP, these forces are to protect what they believe is now almost a Russian territory from "the right-wing extremists" who took power in Kiev last month.
One of the men belonging to these forces told AFP that they interfere only with people coming from the west. "We're mostly interested in groups of young men, particularly those carrying large bags that could be concealing weapons", he added.
These men are deployed on the roads, at the train stations and the airport. They search passengers who get off the overnight trains. Then they head back to their base or to other duties.
Turchynov Refuses a Russian Scenario
The acting president Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP on Tuesday that Ukraine refuses to comply with a "a scenario written by the Kremlin".
He also condemned the upcoming referendum in Crimea on joining Russia, which will be held in 10 days.
This comes as Ukraine's prime minister heads for talks Wednesday with US President Barack Obama aimed at winning essential aid and moral backing amid Crimea's plans to join Russia in the worst.
On the other hand, Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida has urged Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to start talks with Ukraine on resolving the Crimean crisis. Kishida "encouraged Russia to hold a direct dialogue with the Ukrainian interim government without harming Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity", the ministry said in a statement.
AFP also reported that Mustafa Dzhemilev, one of the major representatives of the Turkic Tatar minority in Crimea and a lawmaker in the federal Ukrainian parliament, was expected to hold talks in Moscow Wednesday.
Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, confirmed that Dzhemilev
had been invited to Russia for talks but declined to give any further details,
the Interfax agency reported.
The talks are due to concern about the Muslim community as Russia takes control of the Ukrainian region.
