Russian President Vladimir Putin has
ordered troops taking part in military exercises to return to base, Reuters is
reporting, based on word from Russian news agencies. The news agencies
attributed the information to Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin. The
exercises that took place across western Russia, bordering Ukraine, were a
success, Reuters reported Peskov said. Russia denies the exercises were tied to
simmering developments in the Ukraine, according to Reuters. Earlier, a Russian
admiral issued an ultimatum to Ukraine's military in Crimea to surrender as
Moscow said the crisis can be defused if the country agrees to take back its
ousted pro-Moscow president. Amid rising international tensions, the Pentagon
halted all military cooperation with Russia, including exercises and meetings,
Rear Adm. John Kirby said. There were broader economic actions as well. U.S.
Trade Representative Michael Froman's office said it suspended upcoming
bilateral trade and investment talks with Russia. "Due to recent events in Ukraine, we have suspended upcoming bilateral
trade and investment engagement with the Government of Russia that were part of
a move toward deeper commercial and trade ties," the Froman's office
said in a statement. The Russian warning came as British Foreign Secretary
William Hague on Monday called the standoff in Ukraine the "biggest crisis
in Europe of the 21st century." In Washington, President Obama said Russia
is "on the wrong side of history''
by intervening in Ukraine. He said he is considering diplomatic and economic
steps to isolate Moscow. "Over time
this will be a costly proposition for Russia, and now's the time for them to
consider whether they can serve their interests in a way that resorts to
diplomacy as opposed to force," Obama said from the Oval Office. The
U.S. originally estimated that 6,000 Russian troops were dispatched to Crimea,
but Ukraine's mission to the United Nations said Monday that 16,000 had been
deployed. That stoked fears that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in
pro-Russian eastern Ukraine. The whole article is available at
Russia's
President Vladimir Putin (2nd L) shakes hands with the Commander of the Western
Military District Anatoly Sidorov at the Kirillovsky firing ground in the
Leningrad region, on March 3, 2014, with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (2nd R)
attending. AFP PHOTO
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