US, Russia Clash at UN, Russia Invades City of Kerch

Ukrainian border guards: We were overwhelmed by Russian troops
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 3, 2014 3:46 PM CST
US, Russia Clash at UN, Russia Attacks City of Kerch
UN Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, far left, listens as US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, far right, speaks during UN Security Council meeting on March 3, 2014, at UN headquarters.   (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

US and Russian ambassadors expressed very different viewpoints on Ukraine today during an urgent UN Security Council meeting in New York, CNN reports. US Ambassador Samantha Power said Russian troops are entering Ukraine over an "imaginary threat," and the military action "is a violation of international law." Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said his country only wants to curb radical extremism in Ukraine: "We're talking about defending our citizens and our compatriots, on defending the most important human right, the right to life," he said. Ukrainian Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev asked the UN for help, saying Russia has sent 16,000 troops to Ukraine since last week.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials say Russian troops are targeting the city of Kerch along the Kerch Peninsula in eastern Crimea. According to the officials, 12 truckloads of Russian troops entered the city, and 10 troops from the Russian Black Sea Fleet, all heavily armed, overwhelmed guards at a border post on the Strait of Kerch. That allowed a ferry carrying three truckloads of Russian troops to enter the post, border guards tell Reuters. For more, see Russia's rejection of a Ukraine "ultimatum report" and President Obama's goal of "isolating" Russia. (More Ukraine stories.)

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