The snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev were allegedly hired by Maidan leaders, according to a leaked phone conversation between the EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian foreign affairs minister, which has emerged online. “There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition,”... 

US President Barack Obama’s foreign policy regarding Ukraine could lead to a “thermonuclear war” because Washington is provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Obama is jeopardizing the population of this planet with the imminent threat of general war that could become a thermonuclear war by trying to provoke Russia in an area where they have vital strategic interests,” senior editor... 

Combo made of file pictures shows businessman Igor Kolomoisky (left) and Serhiy Taruta, Ukrainian businessman. The self-proclaimed government in Kiev has appointed two of Ukraine’s richest men to govern large industrial regions in the defiant east. One of the reasons for the Maidan protest was the influence the rich have on politics in the country. The appointments of new governors of Donetsk and... 

Russian-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom has threatened to disrupt gas supplies to Europe following warnings by John Kerry and others that harsh economic sanctions could be imposed on Moscow, as the Ukraine crisis threatens to spiral into a trade war. “Simmering political tensions in Ukraine, that are aggravated by inadequate economic conditions, may cause disruptions of gas supplies to Europe,”... 

The US has suspended forthcoming trade and investment talks with Russia over situation in Ukraine, according to a US official. In addition, the Pentagon announced that the US has also suspended all joint “military engagements” with Russia. “We have suspended upcoming bilateral trade and investment engagement with the government of Russia that were part of a move toward deeper commercial... 

The United States has warned Russia that it would hold the Kremlin “directly responsible” if it has threatened use of force against Ukrainian military. “Reports of an ultimatum, if true, constitute a dangerous escalation of the situation for which we would hold Russia directly responsible,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday. She made the warning after reports said Moscow... 

Moscow’s move to occupy Crimea with Russian troops is a declaration of war on Ukraine according to interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. “This is actually a declaration of war on my country. We urge Putin to pull back his troops from this country and honour bilateral agreements. If he wants to be the president who started a war between two neighboring and friendly countries, he has reached... 

US President Barack Obama has threatened Russia with sanctions as tensions between the two countries heats up over Ukraine. “The strong condemnation that Russian has received around the world indicates the degree to which Russia is on the wrong side of history,” Obama told reporters on Monday. “There are two paths that Russia can take at this point. Actions on the ground in Crimea are deeply... 

The US Secretary of State spoke today of the unacceptability of invading a sovereign country on phony pretexts in order to assert one’s own interests in the 21st century. But no, he was not speaking about the United States, as one might have thought. “You just don’t invade another country on phony pretext in order to assert your interests,” John Kerry said during an interview with NBC’s... 

On Sunday Republicans mounted attacks against President Obama over what they consider his inappropriate response to the crisis in Ukraine. Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russians have “been running circles around us.” “Putin is playing chess, and I think we are playing marbles — and I don’t think... 

American exceptionalism has gone into overdrive with stern warnings from US President Barack Obama to Russia to respect Ukrainian sovereignty and to not destabilize the region. By “American exceptionalism” we mean Washington’s seemingly unlimited capacity for exceptional arrogance and double think. Obama has not yet accused Russia outright of “military invasion” in the... 

“On Tuesday, the Public Chamber of Russia held a hearing on the situation in Ukraine. The event was attended by well-known Russian, Ukrainian experts, government representatives. Bombshell information caused people’s deputy of Ukraine Oleg Tsarev. According to him, began to disembark in Lviv… NATO soldiers. “In March, planned exercise line” Ukraine-Atlantic alliance. ” Until the spring... 

US Republican Senator John McCain has called on the Obama administration to take action against Russian President Vladimir Putin over the crisis in Ukraine. During a speech on Friday, President Barack Obama said he is “deeply concerned” by reports Moscow had sent troops into Ukraine’s Crimea region and warned that “there will be costs” for any military intervention in Ukraine. In a statement... 

The Ukrainian army has been put on a combat alert as the interim president says any Russia’s military intervention will lead to a war in the crisis-hit country. Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov made the announcement on Saturday after meeting with the country’s security and defense chiefs. Turchynov warned Russia against military intervention, saying such a move could lead to a... 

Russia’s Federation Council has unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s request to use Russian military forces in Ukraine. The move is aimed to settle the turmoil in the split country. The upper house of the Russian parliament has voted in favor of sending troops to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which would ensure peace and order in the region “until the socio-political situation...