Russia's Upper House Approves Use of Russian Forces in Ukraine Saturday March 01,2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the Russian Upper House of parliament on Saturday March 01,2014 to use Russian troops in Ukraine, as the political crisis continues there

This is the full text of his request, as published on the Russian presidential website:
"In connection with the extraordinary situation that has arisen in the Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our fellow countrymen and the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed on the territory of the Ukraine (the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea) in accordance with an international agreement, on the basis of Point G Part 1 of Article 101 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation [governing the use of Russian armed forces outside Russian territory], I am submitting to the Council of the Federation [upper house] of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation a request to use the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Ukraine until the normalisation of the socio-political situation in that country."


Russia's upper house of parliament has approved Vladimir Putin's request to use Russian forces in Ukraine - less than two hours after the request was made.

Unlike most legislation in Russia, the use of armed forces abroad only requires the approval of the upper house, with no need for a preliminary okay from the lower house (the State Duma)

The upper house went into a special session almost immediately after Vladimir Putin made the request, and swiftly approved it.

Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said, however, that this "does not mean that this right will be used quickly" to deploy troops.

During the upper house debate, one legislator accused President Obama of crossing "a red line" with his comments on Friday that there would be "costs" if Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine.

The upper house has recommended that the Russian ambassador to the US should be recalled, although the decision lies with Vladimir Putin

Ukraine said that Russia has already sent 6,000 troops to Ukraine since the beginning of the crisis.

These troops, amassed outside the Crimean town of Balaclava, have been decried by the Ukrainian government as an occupying force

Reports say two Russian anti-submarine warships have appeared off the coast of Crimea in violation of an agreement governing the presence of Russia's Fleet in the peninsula.

The presence of Russia has been welcomed by many of Crimea's ethnic Russians