News

The Czech Foreign Ministry has warned Czech citizens not to travel to eastern Ukraine and Crimea in light of growing tensions in the area; those already there have been advised to depart. The crisis in Ukraine escalated as unidentified Russian forces took full control of Crimea - where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based - ignoring Ukrainian sovereignty on the pretense they were there to protect Russian-speakers. In response, Ukraine called up its reserves and ordered full combat readiness for troops, raising the stakes in the growing stand-off.

World leaders, including US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron, have condemned Russian intervention in Crimea as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law. But Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has thus far ignored calls for troops to withdraw to the base in Sevastopol. In a phone call with the US president, he reportedly stressed that Russia would act not only in Crimea but in the east of Ukraine, if necessary, to protect its interests. Mr Obama had issued a warning in a press conference on Friday that there would be costs if Russia continued on its current course.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, the head of the Social Democrats, has denied there are any so-called godfathers in his party pulling strings from behind the scenes. He made the statement on a Sunday debate programme, in response to the president's comment earlier this week that all parties attracted such figures. Mr Sobotka recently claimed that so-called godfathers, either former Civic Democrats or TOP 09 members, were amassing around ANO - who are Mr Sobotka's partners in the government. ANO leader, Finance Minister Andrej Babiš, denied the accusation and made a similar claim about the Social Democrats.

Around three dozen people demonstrated in front of the Russian embassy in Prague on Saturday, holding up signs and placards calling on Russia to stop military intervention in Ukraine. Six police officers monitored the protest; no incidents were reported. One of the demonstrators, a Russian national, said he had come out to express solidarity with an injured Ukrainian colleague. He said he was against war and against the occupation of Ukraine, which he called a tragedy for both countries.

Another demonstration in front of the embassy followed on Sunday, this time attended by several hundred people.

Czech President Miloš Zeman has expressed opposition to Russia intervening in Ukraine; in a statement issued through his spokesman on Saturday, the president suggested military intervention would create a gulf that would take more than a generation to bridge. Mr Zeman was reacting to rising tensions in Crimea, where Russian forces are stationed or being boosted. He made clear he could draw on concrete experience, the invasion of former Czechoslovakia by Soviet-led troops in 1968. On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin requested - and received - approval from Russia's upper house to use troops on the peninsula until the 'normalisation' of the political situation in Ukraine. Mr Putin claimed that such a move was to protect the Russian-speaking population. Ukraine's new leadership has called Russia's behaviour an attempt to provoke an armed conflict.

The Czech Foreign Ministry reacted on Saturday by saying that Ukraine's territorial integrity as well as sovereignty needed to remain untouched and intact. The foreign minister, Lubomír Zaorálek, is to meet with Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka to discuss developments on Monday.