12 March 2014

Sunday’s referendum in Crimea, which has already been established by the self-appointed Crimean parliament as merely an exercise to confirm a decision that has already been made, draws nearer. The Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council claims Russia has deployed more than 80,000 troops close to the border. Russian Defense quickly denies this. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders issues a warning that media are being targeted throughout Crimea.

Foreign diplomatic talks continue. The G-7 leaders (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission) issued a letter calling on the Russian Federation “to cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea contrary to Ukrainian law and in violation of international law.”  They state that they will not recognise the referendum: it will have no legal effect.

“Russian annexation of Crimea would be a clear violation of the United Nations Charter; Russia’s commitments under the Helsinki Final Act; its obligations to Ukraine under its 1997 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership; the Russia-Ukraine 1997 basing agreement; and its commitments in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.  In addition to its impact on the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states.  Should the Russian Federation take such a step, we will take further action, individually and collectively.”

But there is no change in Russia’s position.

So far the only offer of support and assistance to Ukraine that seems to have the most potency is the IMF funding package being offered to ‘help’ the Ukrainian economy.

Meanwhile, in Russia the chief editor of popular Russian news website Lenta.ru, Galina Timchenko, has been fired and replaced by Alexei Goreslavsky. Goreslavsky until recently headed the staunchly pro-Kremlin website, Vzglyad.ru, and has close ties with Putin.

Ukraine’s media regulator has also issued an order for cable operators to stop carrying the main Russian channels. This is in response to Russian media ‘painting an "apocalyptic" picture of the country, embellished by "bellicose language" reminiscent of the height of the Cold War.’ Others in Ukrainian media and Parliament voice opposition to this measure of censorship. This raises significant questions about the power of information wars, and new terms of ‘information security’.