Russian President Vladimir Putin has calmed fears of an imminent war between Russia and Ukraine’s new authorities but also made clear that Moscow has no intention of loosening its new grip on Crimea in defiance of Western anger.
The Russian leader said Russia would use force as a “last resort” and there was no current necessity to send troops in.
He also strongly denied that Russian troops were already in Crimea and said that it was “local self defence forces” who were in control of the Black Sea peninsula.
