US fast food chain McDonald’s is temporarily shutting down its operations in Crimea after the region was annexed by Russia.
The foreign ministers from Nato’s 28 signatories have agreed to suspend all “practical civilian and military co-operation” with Russia over its ongoing actions in Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to build a Russian rival to financial transaction companies Visa and Mastercard as the US-led sanctions on Russian financial institutions begin to bite.
Unmarked pro-Russian troops stormed a Ukrainian air force base in the Crimean city of of Belbek as well as another military base about 30 miles west of Simferopol according to Ukrainian officials.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has formalised Russia’s takeover of Crimea by signing the annexation into law, despite a new round of sanctions from the US and EU.