Raman Yakauleuski: Russia opens Crimean front

Consequences of the conflict in Crimea are unpredictable.

Political observer Raman Yakauleuski discussed the latest events in Crimea with charter97.org.

“More and more observers agree that Russia, in fact, has opened the Crimean front today. Tensions between supporters and opponents of the new authorities in Kyiv are growing in Crimea. A snap check of the Russian armed forces on the border of Ukraine ordered by Putin would rather warm up than sober the conflicting sides in Crimea,” he thinks.

The political observer adds NATO also raises concerns about the developments.

“It's possible that in response to such concerns Russian politicians and lawmakers will soon begin to remind the West abouts the Kosovo scenario of resolving conflicts. Many EU members have officially recognised the independence of Kosovo. So, the development of the situation of Crimea and Ukraine in general is more than serious and may have unpredictable consequences,” Raman Yakauleuski summed up.

The airports in Sevastopol and Simferopol were seized last night. Interim president of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov was reported earlier to be planning to arrive in Crimea to solve the situation in a peaceful way.

Unknown men in Simferopol seized the parliament and government of the autonomous republic and raised Russian flags over the buildings. The law-enforcement bodies launched criminal proceedings over a “terrorist attack”.

About 500 people with Russian and Crimean flags gathered near the parliament building demanding to hold a referendum to determine the region's status.

Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov called an emergency meeting of the parliament. MPs voted to schedule the referendum on expanding the republic's power for May 25 and passed a no-confidence motion to the Council of Ministers of the autonomous republic headed by Anatoliy Mogilev since November 2011.