Mar 2, 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin secured his parliament’s authority on Saturday to invade Ukraine after troops seized control of the Crimea peninsula and pro-Moscow demonstrators hoisted flags above government buildings in two eastern cities.

: A pro-Russian protester waves a Russian flag (L) and the so-called flag of the Donetsk Republic in front of the regional administration building during a rally in the industrial Ukrainian city of Donetsk on March 1, 2014. More than 10,000 people carrying Russian flags protested in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, the stronghold of ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. Protesters declared they supported “the aspirations of Crimea to rejoin Russia”, referring to Ukraine’s pro-Russia peninsula further south where Kiev has accused Moscow of launching an “armed invasion.” (Alexander Khudoteply/AFP/Getty Images)

: A woman plays a piano in a street near Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: A member of a so-called “Maidan’s self defence unit” looks at pictures of protesters who were killed during recent clashes, displayed in central Kiev on March 1, 2014. Ukraine’s defence chief accused Russia on March 1, 2014 of sending 6,000 troops and 30 armoured personnel carriers into Crimea as the restive peninsula tries to gain broader independence from new pro-EU leaders in Kiev. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: A woman sleeps behind a barricade on Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on Saturday as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: Unidentified masked individuals throw a concrete block through a window as they storm the Trade Union building in Semferopol, the administrative center of Crimea, on March 1, 2014. Russia’s parliament on March 1 gave President Vladimir Putin the go-ahead to send troops into Ukraine, despite a warning from Washington that such a deployment would results in “costs” for Moscow. The stark escalation of the ex-Soviet country’s three-month political crisis came amid growing instability in Ukraine’s predominantly Russian peninsula of Crimea that has housed Kremlin navies for nearly 250 years. (Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images)

: People gather around a coffin as they attend the funeral cermony of a victim of the recent clashes with the riot police on Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: Unidentified armed individuals with armoured vehicles block the base of the Ukrainian border guard service in Sevastopol, on March 1, 2014. Ukraine’s border guard service said on March 1 that about 300 armed men were attempting to seize its main headquarters in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol under orders from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The head of this group said that there are orders from the Russian defence minister to seize this naval post,” Ukraine’s border guard service said in a statement, adding that the men wore “full battle fatigues”. (Vasily Batanov/AFP/Getty Images)

: Ukrainian woman in traditional costumes sing their national anthem in Independence square in central Kiev on March 1, 2014. Ukraine accused Russia on March 1, 2014 of sending thousands of extra troops into Crimea as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the flashpoint peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it use force. (Louisa Gouliamak/AFP/Getty Images)

: Unidentified armed individuals with armoured vehicles block the base of the Ukrainian border guard service in Sevastopol, on March 1, 2014, near a sign (R) reading “The border of the country is sacred and untouchable”. Ukraine’s border guard service said on March 1 that about 300 armed men were attempting to seize its main headquarters in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol under orders from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The head of this group said that there are orders from the Russian defence minister to seize this naval post,” Ukraine’s border guard service said in a statement, adding that the men wore “full battle fatigues”. (Vasily Batanov/AFP/Getty Images)

: People gather around a coffin of a man who was killed during the recent clashes with the riot police during a funeral cermony on Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: So-called ‘Maidan self defence unit ‘ members guard a barricade at Independence square in central Kiev on March 1, 2014. Ukraine accused Russia on March 1, 2014 of sending thousands of extra troops into Crimea as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the flashpoint peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it use force. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images)

: Unidentified armed individuals with armoured vehicles block the base of the Ukrainian border guard service in Sevastopol, on March 1, 2014. Ukraine’s border guard service said on March 1 that about 300 armed men were attempting to seize its main headquarters in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol under orders from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The head of this group said that there are orders from the Russian defence minister to seize this naval post,” Ukraine’s border guard service said in a statement, adding that the men wore “full battle fatigues”.(Vaily Batanov/AFP/Getty Images)

: Protesters warm up in a tent at Independence square in central Kiev on March 1, 2014. Ukraine accused Russia on March 1, 2014 of sending thousands of extra troops into Crimea as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the flashpoint peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it use force. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images)

: Youths play table tennis near Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: People stand on the awning outside the regional government building in Kharkiv on March 1, 2014. Dozens were hurt on March 1, 2014 when a pro-Russia protest in Ukraine’s eastern city of Kharkiv turned violent, with demonstrators trying to storm the local government building. Some 20,000 joined the protest against Kiev’s new pro-West government after the ouster of Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych, and later around 300 launched the assault on the government building. Stones and stun grenades were thrown though it was unclear by whom. (Sergey Bobok/AFP/Getty Images)

: A Maidan activist sits on a barricade at the entrance of Kiev’s Independence square on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: An unidentified masked individuals hold a Russian flag as they block the Trade Union building in Simferopol, the administrative center of Crimea, on March 1, 2014. Russia’s parliament on March 1 gave President Vladimir Putin the go-ahead to send troops into Ukraine, despite a warning from Washington that such a deployment would results in “costs” for Moscow. The stark escalation of the ex-Soviet country’s three-month political crisis came amid growing instability in Ukraine’s predominantly Russian peninsula of Crimea that has housed Kremlin navies for nearly 250 years. (Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images)

: A couple sits on a bench in central Kiev on March 1, 2014. Pro-Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on March 1, 2014 as the Kremlin vowed to help restore calm on the restive Ukrainian peninsula and Washington warned of “costs” to Moscow should it order in troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

: A wounded man touches his forehead after clashes between Pro-Russia activists and Maidan supporters in Kharkiv on March 1, 2014. Dozens were hurt on March 1, 2014 when a pro-Russia protest in Ukraine’s eastern city of Kharkiv turned violent, with demonstrators trying to storm the local government building. Some 20,000 joined the protest against Kiev’s new pro-West government after the ouster of Kremlin-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych, and later around 300 launched the assault on the government building. Stones and stun grenades were thrown though it was unclear by whom. (Sergey Bobok/AFP/Getty Images)

: Unidentified armed individuals with armoured vehicles block the base of the Ukrainian border guard service in Sevastopol, on March 1, 2014. Ukraine’s border guard service said on March 1 that about 300 armed men were attempting to seize its main headquarters in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol under orders from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The head of this group said that there are orders from the Russian defence minister to seize this naval post,” Ukraine’s border guard service said in a statement, adding that the men wore “full battle fatigues”. (Vasily Batanov/AFP/Getty Images)

It followed days of warnings from U.S. President Barack Obama and other Western leaders that Russia must not intervene, and assurances from Moscow that it would not do so.

Putin swiftly secured unanimous approval from Russia’s senate for the use of armed force on the territory of his neighbor, citing the need to protect Russian citizens, the same reason he gave for invading tiny Georgia in 2008.

Troops widely believed to belong to Moscow have already seized Crimea, an isolated peninsula in the Black Sea where Moscow has a large military presence in the headquarters of its Black Sea Fleet. The campaign there has been bloodless so far, with Kiev’s new authorities powerless to intervene.

Scores were also hurt on Saturday in clashes between pro-Russian demonstrators and supporters of Kiev’s new authorities in eastern cities – areas near the Russian frontier, where Moscow is staging war games on high alert. – Tribune wire reports

Russia and Ukraine: Edging closer

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