The situation remains tense in Crimea, although the 3am deadline, by which Russia had reportedly told Ukrainian forces to leave Crimea by or face a military attack, has passed without incident.
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?
The Russian upper house of parliament has approved the deployment of troops in Ukraine at the request of President Vladimir Putin.
President Vladimir Putin has asked the Russian upper house of parliament to approve the deployment of Russian troops in Ukraine, says the Kremlin.
Uniformed and well-equipped armed men have occupied Sevastopol airport in the autonomous region of Crimea, with the Ukrainian government believing them to be a Russia-backed force.