International
Amid reports from observer groups of warning shots being fired and heightened tensions in Crimea Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned Secretary of State John Kerry that U.S. sanctions could "backfire” and further damage ties between Moscow and Washington.
During a telephone call Friday, Lavrov urged the U.S. not to take "hasty, poorly thought-out steps that could harm Russian-U.S. relations, especially concerning sanctions, which would unavoidably boomerang on the U.S. itself," the statement said.
In a separate statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also warned the European Union that any sanctions it imposed would not go unanswered and would harm "the interests of the EU itself and its member nations."
Russia is considering a freeze of U.S. military inspections under arms control treaties in retaliation to Washington's decision to halt military cooperation with Russia, news reports said Saturday.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Crimea, Ukranian border guards said Saturday that one of their observation planes came under fire while patrolling the regional border. And the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reported warning shots when its observer mission tried to enter the peninsula. Neither reported any injuries.
The tension formed the background to continued diplomatic efforts. On Saturday, President Obama made individual telephone calls to British Prime Minister Cameron, Italian Prime Minister Renzi, French President Hollande to discuss the situation in Ukraine. He also hosted a conference call with Lithuanian President Grybauskaite, Latvian President Berzins, and Estonian President Ilves.
The U.S. and the European Union have introduced sanctions over Russia in response to its move to send troops that have taken control of Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
The sanctions could sting Russia's already slow-growing economy and hurt its financial sector. But Moscow could retaliate and seize American and other foreign assets or cut exports of natural gas to Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russia for energy.
Kerry underscored to Lavrov the importance of finding a constructive way to resolve the situation diplomatically, which would address the interests of the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the international community. Kerry and Lavrov agreed to continue to consult in the days ahead, according to the State Department.
Declaring his determination not to let the Kremlin carve up Ukraine, President Barack Obama on Thursday slapped new visa restrictions on Russian and other opponents of Ukraine's government in Kiev and authorized wider financial penalties against those involved in the military intervention or in stealing state assets.
Obama emphasized his resolve in an hour-long telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, affirming his contention that Russia's actions violate Ukraine's sovereignty.
Russia on Saturday was reported to be reinforcing its military presence in Crimea as Moscow's foreign minister ruled out any dialogue with Ukraine's new authorities, whom he dismissed as puppets.
Vladislav Seleznyov, a Crimean-based spokesman for the Ukrainian armed forces, told The Associated Press that witnesses had reported seeing amphibious military ships unloading around 200 military vehicles in eastern Crimea on Friday night after apparently having crossed the Straits of Kerch, which separates Crimea from Russian territory.
He also said a convoy of more than 60 military trucks bearing no license plate numbers was headed from the eastern city of Feodosia toward the city of Simferopol, the regional capital.
The amphibious operation appeared to be one of the largest movements of Russian military forces since they appeared in Crimea a week ago.
"Neither the equipment nor the paratroopers have insignia that identify them as Russian, but we have no doubt as to their allegiance," Selenyov told the AP.
An AP reporter sighted the convoy Saturday afternoon 25 miles west of Fedosia. In the backs of the vehicles, heavily armed soldiers could be seen, though none appeared to have identifying badges or insignia. Soldiers spat at reporters following the convoy.
The Ukrainian military spokesman also said that in Simferopol, several dozen armed men on Saturday broke into a military warehouse containing Ukrainian military goods.
Meanwhile, OSCE said Saturday that its military observer mission had withdrawn from the border, after encountering warning fire.
The body had been invited by Ukraine's government to observe, but pro-Russian separatist authorities in Crimea say that they have not given permission for the OSCE to enter the region.
On Thursday, Crimea's parliament voted unanimously in favor of joining the Russian Federation. A referendum, asking whether the peninsula should retain ties with Kiev or join the federation, is due to take place on March 16.
"There are many forces that would like the referendum not to happen, and considering the geopolitical situation, we decided the sooner we are done with this vote the quieter it will be and people will feel safer," the Crimean prime minister, Sergey Aksyonov, told Al Jazeera on Friday.
"We feel that only people who live in Crimea ... can make the decision about its territory, its taxes and economic situation."
Russia's parliament on Friday said it would welcome the addition of Crimea to the Russian Federation if residents vote in favor of the referendum. "If the people of Crimea make the decision in the referendum to join Russia, we, as the upper house, will of course support such a decision," said Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the upper house of Russia's parliament.
Subsequently on Friday, Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy giant, issued a thinly veiled warning that it could stop shipping gas to Urakine over unpaid bills, increasing pressure on the new government in Kiev and its supporters in Europe, which gets half its Russian gas through Ukraine. Russian natural-gas exports account for about a quarter of total European gas usage.
"Either Ukraine makes good on its debt and pays for current supplies, or there is risk of returning to the situation of early 2009," Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said.
Gazprom halted gas supplies to Ukraine over unpaid bills at the beginning of 2009, which led to reductions in supplies of Russian gas to Europe during a cold winter.
Al Jazeera and Wire services
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