Ukraine, the EU, and the US have condemned the move by Crimean MPs to announce a referendum on the region leaving Ukraine and joining Russia, as tensions remain high.
Foreign ministers from Russia, US, and key European states are holding talks in an attempt to diffuse the tension in Ukraine and bring an end to the military intervention in Crimea.
A video has emerged online showing two men from LA crime gangs, who appear to have joined the fighting in the ongoing civil war in Syria alongside forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad.
Russia has taken de facto control of Crimea, with thousands of troops on the ground securing the region, despite warnings from Europe and the US of the consequences.
Despite increasingly aggressive rhetoric, there has not yet been a military escalation over Crimea and Ukraine, but as Putin takes the lead – where does this leave relations between Russia and the West?