Ukraine crisis: Obama says Russia has 'hand' in 'disruption and chaos'

We're going to wrap up our live coverage for the day. Here's a summary of where things stand:

Both the United States and Russia took a wait-and-see approach to a deal struck in Geneva Thursday to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. The US gave the deal "several days" to produce results. Read the agreement here.

The deal provides for a disarmament of "illegal" militias, a withdrawal by protesters from government buildings in the east and "public places" including in Kiev, and a general amnesty. An OSCE observer mission would grow.

The deal pledged "additional support" for the Ukrainian economy. Russia has said Kiev owes more than $2bn in gas payments. The European commission warned Russia not to roil gas markets.

US president Barack Obama echoed secretary of state John Kerry's praise for a plan for establishing a reinvented, autonomous Ukraine laid out in Geneva by Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Deshchytsia.

Deep mistrust remained. Russia accused Kiev of taking up arms against its own people and Obama called the Russian mobilization on the Ukrainian border a "gesture of intimidation."

In a televised call-in event, Russian president Vladimir Putin seemed to leave room for "understanding" with Ukraine while dropping provocative lines about the historic disposition of east Ukraine as Russian.

The United States pledged nonlethal aid to the Ukrainian military – medical supplies, helmets, water purification devices and generators.

The Russian airline Aeroflot said Ukraine informed it of new tight restrictions on the entry of Russian men to Ukraine. The Russian foreign ministry demanded an explanation.

A large pro-Kiev rally played out in Donetsk. A reported march by pro-Russian forces on the Donetsk airport turned out to be not well attended.

Here's the White House version of president Obama's call with chancellor Merkel. The leaders called on Russia to use "its influence over the irregular forces in eastern Ukraine to get them to lay down their arms and leave the buildings they have seized":

Readout of the President’s Call with Chancellor Merkel of Germany

The President and Chancellor Merkel of Germany spoke today regarding their deep concern about the situation in eastern Ukraine. The President commended the government of Ukraine’s approach to today’s discussions in Geneva, where it put forward constructive proposals to expand local governance and ensure the rights of all Ukrainians are protected. The leaders stressed that Russia needs to take immediate, concrete actions to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine, including by using its influence over the irregular forces in eastern Ukraine to get them to lay down their arms and leave the buildings they have seized. The President and the Chancellor agreed that the United States and Europe are prepared to take further measures if this de-escalation does not occur in short order. The leaders also stressed their support for Ukraine’s May 25 presidential elections.

Obama says a solution in Ukraine must be homegrown, involving a disarmament "by Ukrainians," and that "they move forward with reforms, they move forward with elections and they start getting their economic house in order – that's what's going to solve the problem."

Obama calls the Russian army buildup on the Ukrainian border a "gesture of intimidation."

"It is our belief that Russia's hand is in the disruption and chaos that we've been seeing," Obama says.

The president says Russia has shown signs of cooperating in a de-escalation and "we are encouraging them to do so." He says, in an oblique warning, that the Ukraine adventure has "already had an impact on their economy, that is well documented. It could get significantly worse."

Obama says there's no desire to hurt ordinary Russians if there's a way to avoid it.

Obama concludes his answer on Ukraine:

This whole exercise by the Russians is not good for Russia either... an economy that was already stuck in the mud is further deteriorating because of these actions.

We have no desire to see further deterioration of the Russian economy... there is a way for Ukraine to be independent, to be sovereign and to have positive relations with both the west and the east.

President Barack Obama is asked about his confidence in the Ukraine deal:

I don't think we can be sure of anything at this point. There is ... the prospect that diplomacy may de-escalate the situation and that we may be able to move toward what has always been our goal, which is to allow Ukrainians to make decisions about their own lives.

Obama echoes Kerry's praise of the Kiev plan to set up an autonomous government and protect all Ukrainians' rights.

Russia signed the agreement, Obama says:

The question now becomes will they in fact they use the influence that they've asserted in a disruptive way, or to restore some order so Ukrainians can carry out an election, move forward... we're not going to know whether in fact there's follow-through on these statements for several days.

My hope is that we do see follow... I don't think given past performance that we can count on that.

Diplomats in Geneva announced a deal to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. The deal was signed by Russia, the US, EU and Ukraine.

Terms of the deal included the disarmament of illegal militias, the withdrawal of protesters from occupied buildings and "public places", amnesty for protesters and the expansion of an OSCE international observer mission. Read the agreement here.

Asked about a time frame to implement the deal, US secretary of state John Kerry said "Over the next few days, over the course of this weekend and the earliest part of next week." A failure of the deal would result in new sanctions, Kerry said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin took questions for hours on national TV Thursday. He said he hoped that there would be a way of coming to a “mutual understanding” with Ukraine but denied that Russian forces had been sent to Ukraine and said Kiev was pulling the country into an “abyss”.

The Russian airline Aeroflot said Ukraine informed it of new tight restrictions on the entry of Russian men. The Russian foreign ministry demanded an explanation.

A large pro-Kiev rally played out in Donetsk. A reported march by pro-Russian forces on the Donetsk airport turned out to be not well attended.

Presidential adviser Ben Rhodes tweets that president Barack Obama will take questions on Ukraine in a news conference expected to begin shortly. Separate reports have said the news conference will focus on the president's health care law.

Read Guardian diplomatic editor Julian Borger's (@JulianBorger) news story on the Geneva deal:

The US secretary of state, John Kerry said the agreement "represents a good day's work" but would have little meaning if it was not followed by action on all sides to calm the situation. He said if the US and EU did not see progress, new sanctions would follow.

"Over the next few days, over the course of this weekend and the earliest part of next week, some of these steps have to be seen and be evident," Kerry said. "None of us leaves here with a sense that the job is done because of words on a paper." [...]

The success of the agreement will depend on its implementation. Kerry made it clear that the US would hold Moscow responsible for controlling the pro-Russian protesters, who Putin has portrayed as independent minded Ukrainians.

The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Deshchytsia, said in Geneva the "joint efforts to launch the de-escalation ... will be a test for Russia to show that it is really willing to have stability in this region."

Full piece here.

Armed men took over a television tower in eastern Ukraine on Thursday and switched it to Russian channels playing an almost non-stop stream of sound-bites from a marathon TV phone-in by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports:

Employees at the tower said the men, who were armed with Kalashnikov rifles, barged in after arriving in cars and frightening off guards by firing a shot.

TV engineers accompanying the men then took Ukrainian channels off the air and replaced them with five Russian channels.

The channels included Russia 1, Russia 24 and ORT - some of the most popular state-controlled channels - which were broadcasting clips of Putin's TV phone-in.

"I was at my desk and heard a shot fired outside. Then men, armed and wearing masks, came in. They had technicians with them and switched channels," said Tetyana Chernogod, an electrical mechanic who works at the station.

"We pressed alarm buttons when they came in, but nobody responded. I have been seeing Putin all day since," she said.

Three TV screens were broadcasting clips from Putin's phone-in when this correspondent went to the tower's master control room. Two armed men guarded the entrance.

President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have held a phone call to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

"Both shared their worries given current developments in eastern Ukraine, so they called on Russia to help contribute to a de-escalation," a German government spokeswoman, Christiane Wirtz, was quoted by Reuters as saying in an email. "They said Russia in particular should use its influence on armed groups in eastern Ukraine to calm the situation."

The two spoke before today's announcement of an agreement in Geneva.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan also spoke, including on issues involving the Muslim, Turkic-speaking Tatar minority, the Kremlin said, according to Reuters:

In a telephone call initiated by the Turkish side, Putin and Erdogan also discussed bilateral ties between the two Black Sea nations, including in the energy sector.

Crimean Tatars largely opposed Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine last month.

Here's a non-encouraging reaction to the news out of Geneva. A leader of pro-Russian protesters inside the Donetsk regional government building tells Reuters his side would not leave until supporters of Ukraine's new government quit their camp around Kiev's main square, known as the Maidan:

"If it means all squares and public buildings then I guess it should start with the Maidan in Kiev. We'll see what they do there before we make our decision here," the leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, told Reuters by telephone.

Ukrainian nationalists and other groups who helped overthrow the Moscow-backed president in Kiev two months ago have maintained barricades around the Maidan. Many have said they will not leave until they are satisfied by the result of a presidential election to be held on May 25.

A picture via a Ukrainian Channel 5 correspondent at the Donetsk pro-Kiev rally:

A Guardian reader submits a photo via Guardian Witness from Donetsk, where a sign-up session – a quiet one, it looks like – was held for civilian volunteers willing to serve in pro-Kiev "self-defense" units.

Thanks to drexler19. You can submit photos and other media via Guardian Witness here.

(h/t @carlanine)

Meanwhile, at Donetsk airport:

The Guardian's Julian Borger is catching comments in Geneva from Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Deshchytsia. Julian paraphrases Deschchytisa:

The next couple of days will be crucial. Will require sincere efforts.

Russia committed itself to be a part of this process. Will show if Russia wants to really show wants stability in region

Guardian diplomatic editor Julian Borger (@JulianBorger) sends a snap analysis from Geneva. "This is a far better outcome than appeared possible when the four foreign ministers met this morning," Julian writes:

The talks were expected to be perfunctory and last a little more than a couple of hours. A room was prepared for Sergei Lavrov to give a press conference at midday, after just an hour, perhaps anticipating a walk-out.

What came out instead was a substantive document, involving concrete steps towards defusing the crisis. Everything now depends on implementation. John Kerry made it clear that the US would hold Moscow responsible for controlling the pro-Russian protestors, and gave them the weekend to leave government buildings and disarm.

This will be the first great test. Vladimir Putin has portrayed the protestors as independent minded Ukrainians, not puppets of Moscow. Moscow's implementation of the agreement would point towards the opposite conclusion. The next few days will show whether Moscow has taken a strategic decision to pocket the gains it has made this far, or to press on for more.

Here are the key points of the Kerry and Lavrov news conferences:

The US and Russia have announced an agreement in Geneva on "initial concrete steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens" in Ukraine. Read the agreement here.

Provisions of the agreement include: all sides must refrain from violence; all illegal armed groups must be disarmed; all illegally seized buildings must be returned; all illegally occupied public places must be vacated; amnesty for protestors.

All sides accept the presence of OSCE observers. "The U.S., E.U. and Russia commit to support this mission, including by providing monitors," Kerry said.

The constitution is to be revised in a process that is "inclusive, transparent and accountable" and a national dialogue is to be held. The agreement does not mention the planned 25 May presidential elections.

"The participants underlined the importance of economic and financial stability in Ukraine and would be ready to discuss additional support as the above steps are implemented."

"Notices were sent to Jews in one city indicating that they had to identify themselves as Jews," Kerry said. "In the year of 2014... this is not just intolerable, it is grotesque. It is beyond unacceptable."

Here's more context:

Update: another take: "Relax, Ukraine is Not Ordering Its Jews to Register"

"Today we didn't come here to talk about Crimea," Kerry says in reply to a question. "Today we came here to talk about the violence" in Ukraine.

Kerry lays on the praise for Yatseniuk's vision of an autonomous Ukraine, and the effort of the Kiev government to build such a new country:

"I think it's a visionary act. I think it's a courageous act," Kerry says.

Kerry's time frame for the agreement to take effect in Ukraine: "Over the next few days, over the course of this weekend and the earliest part of next week, some of these steps have to be seen and be evident."

Kerry praises Kiev's vision for the future of a unified Ukraine.

"We were both very impressed by ... Yatseniuk's description of what he is prepared to do. Their own vision of autonomy."

"It's frankly far more extensive than any offer of autonomy that exists in any oblast in Russia," he says.

Lady Ashton adds:

"In some ways this is actually a very exciting moment. To [try to] be able to do that in a proper way... We want to support that in every possible way."

Kerry repeats that if the US and EU do no see progress, new sanctions will follow. But "we don't come here" to be threatening, he says. Both sides have an interest in seeing today's agreement through, he says.

Here is the text of the Geneva joint statement, via Julian Borger:

Geneva Statement of April 17, 2014

The Geneva meeting on the situation in Ukraine agreed on initial concrete steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens.

All sides must refrain from any violence, intimidation or provocative actions. The participants strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-semitism.

All illegal armed groups must be disarmed; all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners; all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated.

Amnesty will be granted to protestors and to those who have left buildings and other public places and surrendered weapons, with the exception of those found guilty of capital crimes.

It was agreed that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission should play a leading role in assisting Ukrainian authorities and local communities in the immediate implementation of these de-escalation measures wherever they are needed most, beginning in the coming days. The U.S., E.U. and Russia commit to support this mission, including by providing monitors.

The announced constitutional process will be inclusive, transparent and accountable. It will include the immediate establishment of a broad national dialogue, with outreach to all of Ukraine’s regions and political constituencies, and allow for the consideration of public comments and proposed amendments.

The participants underlined the importance of economic and financial stability in Ukraine and would be ready to discuss additional support as the above steps are implemented.

Question for Kerry: Did you discuss the withdrawal of Russian troops currently on the Ukraine border?

"They've made it clear that over a period of time, assuming this does de-escalate, as the rights of the people are represented... as the constitutional process unfolds and" the new government is installed, Kerry says.

"They are absolutely prepared to begin to respond with respect to troops... They have indicated that they have withdrawn one battalion.

"Our hope is that as these steps are taken, that that can happen.

"The document says 'initial concrete steps.' We do not envision this as the full measure of de-escalation."

Ashton promotes the OSCE special monitoring mission and constitutional reform for Ukraine. She says "free and fair elections on the 25th of May is the best way for the people to express" their preferences.

"We remain committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," she says.

"If we do not see progress, we will have no choice but to impose greater costs on Russia," Kerry says.

He praises the "restraint" of the government of Kiev in the face of provocation.

Now Lady Ashton begins her comments.

"The parties agreed today that all sides must refrain from the use of violence," Kerry says.

"We strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of racism.. and religious intolerance."

Kerry singles out an incident in which a letter was left at a synagogue in Donetsk demanding that Jewish people identify themselves.

"Notices were sent to Jews in one city indicating that they had to identify themselves as Jews," Kerry says. "In the year of 2014... this is not just intolerable, it is grotesque. It is beyond unacceptable."

"Every party joined in its condemnation in that kind of behavior."

Kerry describes the terms of today's agreements:

– all illegally armed groups must disarm

– all illegally occupied buildings must be vacated

– illegally occupied squares, streets, areas of public towns must be emptied

– Kiev grants amnesty to protesters and occupiers, with exception of those found guilty of capital offenses.

A final "concrete step": "The OSCE special monitoring mission which is already on the ground... they undertake a special role in assisting Ukrainian authorities in the immediate implementation of de-escalation measures... wherever they are needed most."

"THe US, EU and Russia committed to supporting this mission, including by providing monitors."

Kerry begins. Lady Ashton is with him at the news conference.

Kerry thanks the Ukrainian and Russian ministers "for their willing work in the course of today, their readiness to engage in instructive dialogue."

The two sides, he says, have "real differences, some of them significant" to "find a way forward for the people of Ukraine."

"The public order of Ukraine has been threatened in recent days," Kerry says, and the military deployment was thus justified.

Lavrov, who has just finished speaking, described the shape of a potential plan for an agreement on Ukraine. More details to come. We expect US secretary of state John Kerry to speak shortly. This from Guardian diplomatic editor Julian Borger:

And an AP correspondent:

Lavrov denies a Russian military presence in Ukraine and criticizes the Ukrainian military deployment.

"The only difference is that our servicemen are not used against our own people," Lavrov says. "And Ukrainian] servicemen have been mobilized by an illegal order to suppress a mass protest."

"There are no excessive Russian troops on Ukrainian or any other soil that would violate any international treaty," Lavrov says. "We have no wish to insert our military forces into Ukraine, where our fraternal nation lives." He says this as an estimated 40,000 Russian troops are positioned on the Ukrainian border.

He describes an aggression by Kiev on the "Russian-speaking people."

Lavrov calls the reported restrictions on Russian men crossing into Ukraine "outrageous" and "discriminatory."

But Lavrov says Moscow found a note of hope in the talks.

"It all gives us the hope that the US and the EU are sincerely interested in the tri-lateral cooperation with Russia," he says.

Lavrov is asked about Ukraine's intention to remain a neutral state, not part of any military bloc.

Lavrov says there's a law in Ukraine that declares it a neutral state and says Russia "was determined to preserve this status."

"As for neutrality in the political or military terms, I don't really understand what political neutrality means... I'm not sure really it can exist in the modern world."

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is speaking in Geneva. A live stream on Russia Today is here. He announces the diplomats have "agreed on a plan."

The Guardian's Julian Borger is in Geneva:

"Only the police and the army should have the weapons," Lavrov says.

As a large-seeming pro-Kiev rally plays out in Donetsk proper, separatist partisans are roaming the Donetsk airport, but the Guardian's Alec Luhn, who has just arrived, says the protest there feels "weak."

The journalist Olaf Koens photographs a flag of the "people's republic of Donetsk" hanging outside the airport, and, below, a man wearing the flag:

Here's a picture from the scene of the pro-Ukrainian unity rally in Donetsk, via the BBC. Further pictures here and here and here.

Ukraine has invited the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into any serious international crimes that may have been committed on its territory in late 2013 and early 2014, the court said in a statement reported by Reuters:

The invitation, in the form of a declaration accepting the court's jurisdiction for the period between November 21 and February 22, does not ask the court to investigate Russia's formal military involvement in Ukraine's Crimea province, which began on Feb. 27.

Ukraine's parliament earlier this year urged the ICC to investigate crimes allegedly committed by former President Viktor Yanukovich in an attempt to put down the protests that eventually toppled him and drove him into Russian exile. The court's prosecutors are not obliged to investigate.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the U.S. will send nonlethal assistance to Ukraine's military in light of what he called Russia's ongoing destabilizing actions there, the Associated Press reports:

Hagel said at a Pentagon news conference Thursday that the military assistance to Ukraine will include medical supplies, helmets, water purification units and power generators.

Ukraine has asked for military assistance from the U.S., a request that was believed to include lethal aid like weapons and ammunition. Obama administration officials have said they were not actively considering lethal assistance for fear it could escalate an already tense situation.

The U.S. has already sent Ukraine other help, such as prepackaged meals for its military.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has responded to Kiev's announcement of new restrictions on entry for Russian men.

The ministry demanded clarification from Ukraine, Reuters reports, and said it would consider retaliating.

The Guardian's Luke Harding (@LukeHarding1968) is reporting from Mariupol, the scene of last night's gun battle between Ukrainian troops inside a national guard base and a group outside.

Luke has a vivid description of the scene and reports a detailed narration of how the clash played out. “'It was the longest day of my life,' one Ukrainian soldier – who declined to be named – said, surveying his shattered military compound":

At first a female delegation came to the gate to negotiate. They demanded that the soldiers inside give up their weapons and “join the people”. The soldiers refused. A second wave of demonstrators – some masked, and wearing military fatigues, others in sportswear – moved forward. They chucked Molotov cocktails and managed to break down the front doors, eyewitnesses said.

What happened next was a chaotic five-hour gun battle in the dark. Both sides agree that the soldiers initially fired into the air. Someone, however, fired back at them. The soldiers say their attackers used automatic weapons. “You think we did this ourselves?” one asked incredulously, pointing at a line of bullet holes. By the end of the night a demonstrator lay dead. Another 15 were injured, suffering gunshot wounds. [...]

On Thursday neighbours who live in blocks of flats next to the base discussed the shoot-out. What did it mean for Ukraine's future? Some fear that Russia now intends to absorb all of Ukraine's sea coast - joining Mariupol with Crimea and even Odessa. “I want to live in Ukraine. I can't bear it when they rip down the Ukrainian flag and put the Russian one up instead,” Anatoly Dedenko, aged 71, said. “Russia is OK. But apart from Moscow and St Petersburg the place is a dump.”

We'll have a link to the full piece shortly. Update: here it is.

The US state department encourages aspiring viewers of the post-meeting news conference in Geneva to stay tuned:

The march on Donetsk airport by pro-Russian demonstrators is competing with a separate, pro-Kiev rally in the city. Journalist Harriet Salem is on the scene:

Update via BuzzFeed:

Here's a summary of where things stand:

Clashes in east Ukraine continued, with one reported fatality overnight in Mariupol and, currently, a large group of pro-Russian protesters converging on Donetsk airport. [UPDATE: Alec arrives on the scene to find a protest that "feels weak"]

Diplomats meeting in Geneva were reportedly preparing a joint statement on the situation, to be announced shortly by US secretary of state John Kerry. The four-way meetings have gone hours over schedule.

In a hours-long televised question-and-answer session Thursday, Russian president Vladimir Putin said east Ukraine – "Kharkiv, Lugansk, Donetsk, Odessa" - was historically part of Russia. He railed against Nato expansion.

Putin said he hoped that there would be a way of coming to a “mutual understanding” with Ukraine. Putin said no Russian forces had been sent to easten Ukraine. Putin said Kiev was pulling the country into an “abyss”.

Putin dismissed the Ukrainian presidential elections scheduled for 25 May. "The presidential race is being run in an absolutely unacceptable way," he said. In reply, acting Ukrainian premier Arseniy Yatseniuk said Putin had "officially announced" that Moscow's intention was "to wreck the presidential election on May 25."

What to expect from the joint statement out of Geneva? The Guardian's Julian Borger is there:

The US state department plans to live stream Kerry's news conference after meetings are through.

Not only does US senator John McCain think the US should arm pro-Kiev fighters and think the current EU sanctions pertaining to the Ukraine crisis are laughably soft – he thinks Moldova, one of Ukraine's neighbors to the south, should move to join the EU. McCain led a senatorial delegation to Moldova today, AP reports:

Four U.S. senators visited Moldova Thursday to lend support to the former Soviet republic's move toward the European Union, while Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraine to end a blockade of the country's separatist province Trans-Dniester.

U.S. senators John McCain, John Barrasso, John Hoeven and Ron Johnson met with Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca to discuss energy security and how to attract U.S investments to Moldova.

The senators' visit came as Putin complained about Nato expansionism. "Will they drag Ukraine into Nato?" Putin said today. "If Nato goes there, Russia will be pushed out from the area around the Black Sea."

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A crowd of pro-Russian demonstrators has converged on Donetsk airport with the apparent intention of seizing control of it, the Guardian's Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) reports. Alec is in the area and en route to the scene. He flags a Ukrainian media report (and read further coverage in Russian here):

[UPDATE: Alec arrives on the scene to find a protest that "feels weak"]

Diplomats in Geneva are working on a "substantial" joint statement, according to the Russian foreign ministry, the AP reports:

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russian's foreign ministry, said diplomats have begun working on a possible statement with agreed upon points.

"They are working on something, a document or a statement. It could be given either in writing or orally," she told The Associated Press as reporters awaited a news conference by Lavrov after more than four hours of talks at a luxury hotel. "It will have something substantial."

The US state department is hosting live video of John Kerry's news conference in Geneva, which has yet to begin. When the time comes you can watch here.

Despite Putin's conciliatory noises, reference to the "new Russia" in his call-in should send shivers down spines in Kiev.

The question is to ensure the rights and interests of the Russian southeast. It’s new Russia. Kharkiv, Lugansk, Donetsk, Odessa were not part of Ukraine in czarist times, they were transferred in 1920. Why? God knows. Then for various reasons these areas were gone, and the people stayed there - we need to encourage them to find a solution.”

Richard Norton-Taylor, my national security colleague, has put up this blog on Ukraine and related crises.

David Cameron and William Hague talk tough but are reluctant even to impose the kind of economic sanctions the Obama administration is threatening.

BP, with a 20% stake in Russian state-controlled oil company Rosneft, is reported to have warned British ministers about the potential impact of Russian retaliation. BASF, the chemical group, is reported to have expressed concern to German ministers. Europe imports 30% of its gas from Russia.

In this new era of covert wars, civil wars, wars by proxy, insurgencies, and terrorism, security and intelligence agencies, cyber warriors, and special forces, will play an increasing role.

Ukraine's parliament has voted to have acting President Oleksandr Turchynov urgently consider bringing back conscription to boost military readiness in the face of Russian "aggression". AFP reports:

The move came as tensions ratcheted up in Ukraine's east, where separatist rebels have taken control of public buildings in nearly 10 towns and rebuffed attempts by the army to oust them.

The lawmakers in Kiev approved a text "to recommend to the acting president to restart conscription into the Ukraine armed forces without delay" in order to "bolster Ukraine's defence capabilities in connection with aggression from the Russian Federation".

Ukraine scrapped compulsory military service for young men only this year, under a law introduced in 2013 by Viktor Yanukovych, the Kremlin-friendly president who ended up fleeing mass pro-Western demonstrations two months ago.

Ukraine currently has 130,000 personnel in its armed forces.

Reuters has this report on a move by Ukraine to restrict the entry of Russian men into the country.

Aeroflot on Thursday said Ukraine has informed the Russian airline it will impose tight restrictions on the entry of Russian men into the country, where pro-Russian separatist rebellions have broken out.

"Aeroflot is informing passengers about strict restrictions imposed by the Ukrainian authorities on entry into the country," the company said in a statement. It indicated men between the ages of 16 and 60 would be denied entry unless they had proof of a reason to visit, such as family ties or an invitation from a business or individual, or were traveling with their families.

Speculation continues to swirl over the visit to Kiev at the weekend by CIA boss John Brennan. Melik Kaylan writes in Forbes magazine.

...According to my sources, and based on my experience of reporting on the Russian invasion of Georgia, the US-Ukraine information exchange would go a lot further than simply tracking numbers and motions of Russian tanks and soldiers. The operative term here is ‘non-lethal’ help – that remains Washington’s official position. But in today’s digital and virtual battlefield, the game can be over before the first shot gets fired. And if Moscow’s mastery over the digital domain can be countered, Putin might think twice about risking the expensive hardware that he has invested billions in upgrading since the Georgian war.

Interesting piece from the Wall Street Journal flagged up by my colleague Saeed Kamali Dehghan, who covers Iran. The article says Iranian officials and businessmen have warned Putin not to take the threat of sanctions lightly. Here is a flavour of the story.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has belittled the threat of more American sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine. But Iranian officials and businessmen are privately warning the Kremlin not to be so dismissive.

Government technocrats and bankers in Tehran, during interviews over the past week, voiced astonishment over just how much damage the US-led sanctions campaign on Iran has had on their economy over the past three years.

Many said they had initially believed that a large oil-producing country like Iran — or Russia for that matter — would largely be immune to western financial penalties. They said they didn’t believe European countries would back up Washington’s economic threats, due to the energy supplies and corporate profits they stood to lose.

These Iranians said they had been mistaken, and that Russia should be worried.

“The US sanctions are vicious because they largely just targeted our banks,” said a senior Iranian banker. “The Americans essentially forced businesses to choose between doing business in dollars or dealing with Iran. That’s a no-brainer for most.”

Julian Borger has just told me that the diplomats in Geneva are working on a draft joint statement, which is a highly positive sign as this was unexpected. The participants had been expected to come out about an hour ago, but instead are beavering away on a joint document.

The Open Democracy website has a useful background piece on the May 25 election, which is already proving to be a bone of contention between Moscow and Kiev. It was written before Vitaly Klitschko, the former boxing world champion pulled out to back tycoon Petro Poroshenko, known as the "chocolate king". The other candidate is former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

The problems of holding a fair election are numerous enough in Ukraine, but the country’s interim government also has to deal with post-revolutionary instability, an actual military occupation (and annexation) of Crimea and the threat of further war. But despite all this, and amidst all the promise and expectations, it is crucially important that this election should be seen to be free and fair, so that Ukraine and its people can finally turn over a new leaf after the revolution.

The Ukrainian prime minister has hit back over Putin's criticism of Ukraine's imminent presidential election.

"Russia is playing only one game: further aggravation, further provocation, because the task, that Putin today officially announced, is to wreck the presidential election on May 25," Arseny Yatseniuk told journalists in Kiev.

Putin said Ukraine's presidential election campaign was being conducted in an unacceptable manner and Russia would not view its results as legitimate if the race continued in the same way.

The president of the EU commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has written a letter to Putin on gas deliveries to Ukraine. The Russian leader last week warned the EU that Russia would cut natural gas supplies to Ukraine if it did not pay its more than $2bn gas debt and said this could lead to a reduction of onward deliveries to Europe. Barroso wrote:

Still with regard to the reference in your letter to the last resort possibility to completely or partially cease gas deliveries in the event of further alleged violation of the conditions of payments by Ukraine, we would strongly urge you to refrain from such measures, which would create doubts about your willingness to be seen as a reliable supplier of gas to Europe.

During his call-in, Putin took a question from whistleblower Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia last year. Putin said the Russian government regulates communications as part of criminal investigations, but "on a massive scale, on an uncontrolled scale we certainly do not allow this and I hope we will never allow it."

Vladimir Putin has sounded conciliatory and combative during an annual question and answer with Russian citizens. While saying he was sure that Russia and Ukraine will come to a "mutual understanding", the Russian leader accused Kiev of pulling Ukraine into the abyss.

The US has promised non-lethal aid to Ukraine, including uniforms, but has stopped short of body armour. American officials have urged Ukraine to respond to the crisis in a 'responsible and measured way'.

Foreign ministers from the US, EU, Russia and Ukraine are holding talks in Geneva for the first time since the crisis erupted in February. All sides are playing down expectations and the west is preparing further sanctions should the crisis deepen.

Amelia Gentleman has filed a quick take on Putin's q&a session. Here's an extract.

President Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s annexation of Crimea was partly triggered by Nato expansion, during a marathon live televised question and answer sessions with Russian citizens, which focused primarily on the crisis in Ukraine.

He denied that Russia was financing the uprising in the east of Ukraine and said that no Russian forces had been sent to easten Ukraine. Accusing the Kiev authorities of pulling the country into an “abyss”, he called on the Ukrainian authorities to pull back its heavy artillery from the east of the country, asking: “Who are you going to use it against? Have you completely lost your marbles?”

Asked on several occasions during the annual public address, whether Russia had sent troops into eastern Ukraine over the past few days, Putin said: “It’s all nonsense, there are no special units, special forces or instructors there.” The bands of men, in unmarked green military uniforms, who have seized tanks from Ukrainian forces were “local residents”, he said.

As talks opened in Geneva with representatives from the EU, US, Russia and Ukraine, he said that the talks were “important” but added that a resolution to the crisis would not emerge during compromise talks between US and Russia, but needed to be found in Ukraine itself.

But he said he hoped that there would be a way of coming to a “mutual understanding” with Ukraine . “I’m sure we will come to a mutual understanding with Ukraine. We will not be able to do without each other,” he said.

Putin veered between wanting to appear conciliatory and retreating into hostile anti-American rhetoric.

Julian Borger has just sent this from Geneva

The US has promised Ukraine non-lethal military aid after the low morale among the country's soldiers became evident in confrontations with pro-Moscow separatists, but the White House urged the Kiev to act in a “measured and responsible way” in responding to unrest in the east.

The American offer came ahead of today's talks over the fate of eastern Ukraine. Those negotiations began this morning in Geneva amid low expectations and battling narratives over what is going on the ground.

Asked if he is expecting any progress, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, simply shrugged. He held separate meetings this morning at the Intercontinental Hotel with the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Deshchytisa, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, before all four began a plenary session.

Deshchytisa said he had come with “optimism and goodwill” but Lavrov did not hold a separate meeting with him. The ballroom set aside for the closing press conference has been decked out with the US star and stripes but no other flags.

The White House press secretary, Jay Carney noted today's Geneva meeting represented the first time for the four foreign ministers, known as the 'contact group', has met since the crisis erupted in February.

He said the US was considering requests from Kiev for support for the army, but stressed it would not be lethal aid in the form of arms or ammunition. Press reports have suggested it would include items like uniforms, but stop short of body armour.

Briefing journalists on Air Force One, Carney, urged restraint on Kiev, saying “It is certainly appropriate for Ukraine to take action to restore law and order, but we believe that they should continue to do so in a measured and responsible way.”

Putin has put down a marker on next month's elections in Ukraine. This from Reuters.

President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine's presidential election campaign was being conducted in an unacceptable manner and Russia would not view its results as legitimate if the race continued in the same manner.

"The presidential race is being run in an absolutely unacceptable way...If everything continues in this way, then of course we cannot recognise as legitimate what is happening and what will happen after May 25."

More from from Putin - this time on whether he intends to grab Alaska, courtesy of Amelia Gentleman again.

Putin is asked if he is planning to "acquire Alaska". He says "What would you need Alaska for?" He points out that Alaska, like 70% of Russia's own territory, is very far north, and says it isn't necessarily a good idea to feel enthusiastic about acquiring the region, because workers would have to be paid extra, because of the inclement climate there. He laughs.

Amelia Gentleman has more on the marathon Putin q&a, this time on Nato's "expansionism".

One of the people who has been listed on the international sanctions black list asked Putin if he felt that Nato was encircling Russia in a suffocating way. This prompted the Russian president to launch a tirade against what he described as Nato's expansionist policy.

"We were once promised in Munich that after the unification of Germany no expansion of Nato would happen to the east. Then it started to expand by adding former Warsaw pact countries, former USSR countries. I asked: Why are you doing that?

"They told me it is not your business; people and nations have the right to chose how they defend themselves. Will they drag Ukraine into Nato? If Nato goes there, Russia will be pushed out from the area around the Black Sea. This is pushing out Russia from this important part of the world. Let’s not be afraid of anything, but we should take that into account, and respond accordingly."

The Guardian's Luke Harding is actually in Mariupol and has just been on the phone with the most up to date details. He has been to the hospital and says one person - not two or three as has been reported - died in last night's clash, with 15 being treated for gunshot wounds.

It's pretty clear there was an exchange of fire at the national guard base in a residential area in the centre of the city. The fighting last from 9m until 2 in the morning. Pro-Russian separatists tried to storm the building, the Ukrainian troops fired warning shots and came under fire from outside the building. The protest leaders said the shooting came from provocateurs. What is clear is Ukrainian vehicles and other trucks had bullet holes so there was incoming fire. There is a lot of broken glass and there is blood on the floor. The base remains under control of Ukrainian troops.

The Guardian's Alec Luhn, who is in Slavyansk, has more details on the clash in the port of Mariupol.

At least two people were killed when pro-Russian protesters attacked a military base in Mariupol on Wednesday night, raising the confirmed fatality count in eastern Ukraine to at least four as unrest continues to spread.

Up to 500 protestors, many of them wearing the St George's ribbons used as a symbol of the anti-Kiev movement, attempted to storm a national guard base starting at 8:30pm, the Mariupol information website 0629 reported. They surrounded the base and threw explosives inside, after which soldiers initially fired into the air. Periodic shooting continued late into the night, it reported.

Video published on the site showed men throwing Molotov cocktails over the walls of the base as shots sounded.

Footage published by 0629 appeared to show a disorganised assault by protesters who said they had been unarmed and were seeking negotiations. In a video on 0629, a masked man wearing a St George's ribbon and a military helmet said after “the gates came down” soldiers began shooting at protestors and also threw stun grenades, wounding several of them. A man with him said a wounded comrade had been left inside the base, indicating protestors had penetrated the walls.

“We were yelling, asking for the troops, the commander, to come out for negotiations, because no one here wants blood. They answered with shooting,” the first man said.

Another man said troops had fired at “peaceful residents.” In another video, a masked man with a megaphone standing behind semi-trailer trucks calls on troops inside the base to come out: “We don't want for you, our guys, friends, comrades, to suffer.”

AFP has filed on the Putin q&a, leading on his mix of hard and soft man. He also admitted that Russian troops had operated in Crimea during and before the referendum that led to its annexation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine's new authorities of driving the country towards the abyss but said that dialogue was the only way out of the intensifying crisis.

"Only through dialogue, through democratic procedures and not with the use of armed forces, tanks and planes can order be imposed in the country," Putin said at the start of a major nationwide phone-in broadcast on Russian television.

"It is very important today to think about how to get out of this situation and offer people a genuine dialogue and not one just for show," added Putin, saying he believed the talks opening Thursday in Geneva between top diplomats on the crisis were "extremely important".

He accused the Ukrainian authorities who took over after the fall of president Viktor Yanukovych of driving the country to the abyss.

"I hope that they manage to understand towards what abyss the Kiev authorities are going, dragging with them the whole country," said Putin.

He also said it was "nonsense" to claim Russian forces were operating in the east of Ukraine, saying those involved in protest actions were "all local citizens".

"That is all nonsense," he said.

But Putin also explicitly acknowledged that Russian troops had operated in Crimea during and before the referendum that led to its annexation by Moscow from Ukraine. Previously he denied the soldiers were Russian, saying anyone could have bought military uniforms in a store.

Japan has postponed a visit to Russia by its foreign minister Fumio Kishida that had been planned for later this month. The ostensible problem is "scheduling reasons", but it appears to be Ukraine-related. Japan is part of the G7 group of rich countries that has sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea. Japan has its own territorial worries with China in the South China sea.

Sinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, told a symposium: "What we can say after watching what happened to Ukraine is that changes to the status quo by force should not be tolerated. Countries all over the world need to securely maintain the order that respects laws. Therefore, what happened in Ukraine does not only concern Ukraine, or only Europe, but is an issue for the world."

The Associated Press has this from Geneva as diplomats start talking. Here are some key points.

US military aid was expected to stop short of body armour and other equipment for Ukraine's troops. Additionally, the Obama administration is reluctant to send weapons and ammunition, as Kiev has requested, amid fears that lethal supplies would be seen as an escalatory step by the US and trigger a more aggressive response from the estimated 40,000 Russian forces massed on its border with Ukraine.

Despite the diplomatic freeze between Moscow and Kiev, a senior state department official said Ukraine's negotiators planned to try to assuage Russia's concerns during Thursday's talks. Deshchytsia and his team were expected to brief Russia and the other diplomats on what Kiev was doing to transfer more power from the central government to the regions, including letting local areas keep more of their funding and elect their own leaders.

The Ukraine diplomats were prepared to field questions from negotiators and even seek Russia's advice on how to quell concerns in Moscow about the rights of Russian-speaking minorities in Ukraine and the approaching May 25 presidential elections to ensure they are inclusive for all candidates.

Reuters on what seems to be an olive branch from Putin

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was certain that Russia and Ukraine could reach a compromise following Moscow's annexation of Crimea, saying the neighbours had a huge number of common interests.

"I'm sure we will come to a mutual understanding with Ukraine. We will not be able to do without each other," Putin said in a televised call-in with the nation.

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Meanwhile, the talks in Geneva have started. Julian Borger is there covering for the Guardian. He has just sent this:

The EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, met the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Deshchytsia, last night. This morning the US secretary of state, John Kerry, met Ashton and Deschytsia separately and has just started a bilateral meeting with Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister.

Lavrov arrived at about 10am Geneva time in the Intercontinental Hotel, the scene of last year's successful Iran nuclear talks, where all today's negotiations will take place. It is not clear whether Deshchytsia and Lavrov will meet separately before the plenary session of the talks begins at 11am.

After meeting Kerry, Deshchytsia said that he came with "optimism and goodwill", but those two qualities appear to be in short supply today in Geneva, where all sides are playing down expectations.

Kerry and Ashton are pushing Deshchytsia to stress how far Kiev is prepared to go in offering local rights and fiscal autonomy to the provinces short of embracing the federalism that Moscow is asking for. Kiev and the west see that as a veil for partition.

The talks are due to wrap up around 3pm, when there will be some form of press conference though it is not clear who will take part, and what there will be to say.

Amelia Gentleman says Putin gave details of substantial pension increases for the residents of Crimea to bring them up to the same level of Russian pensioners. “They will feel the advantage of joining the Russian federation materially.”

Reuters has picked up some emollient lines from Putin.

Putin says Russia and Ukraine joined by huge number of common interests... Putin says he is sure Russia will find mutual understanding with Ukraine

More from Amelia:

On his hopes for the Geneva talks, Putin says: "We believe that it shouldn’t just be a showcase dialogue."

Responding to a question of whether Russia behind the uprising in the east of Ukraine, sponsoring and financing the militants, Putin said: "This is nonsense. There are no Russian units in the east of Ukraine, no special forces these are all local residents. These are people who live there."

My colleague, Amelia Gentleman, formerly based in Moscow, is monitoring Putin's annual televised question and answer session. She emails:

The Russian news agency Itar Tass said two million questions had been posed on the internet in advance of the session and ranged in subject matter from the escalating crisis in Ukraine to the Russian economy, child benefits, housing and corruption. Last year Putin spent four hours and 47 minutes answering questions posed by phone calls and emails. The Kremlin was unable to say how long this session would last. “We know for sure that it will be several hours long," a spokesman told the news agency.

Putin says Kiev did not try to establish a dialogue with the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine.

Putin has been taking questions about Ukraine. He again denies any involvement of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine and stresses the importance of the talks in Geneva, although few commentators expect anything significant to emerge from the foreign ministerial level talks.

The Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has dismissed claims by Ukrainian authorities that Moscow has dispatched elite special forces to east Ukraine to stir unrest as paranoia. This is from Agence France-Presse. Putin can be expected to develop these themes.

"These statements resemble paranoia," Shoigu was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. "Instead of always looking for Moscow's hand (behind events), Kiev should stop calling residents of Ukraine's southeast 'separatists' and 'terrorists' and start constructive dialogue with them," he said.

"Regarding the statements about use of Russian special forces in Ukrainian events, I can only say one thing - it's hard to search for a black cat in a dark room, especially if it's not there," he added.

However he then cryptically added that searching for the cat would be "stupid" if the cat is "intelligent, brave, and polite", in what could be seen as implicit confirmation of the claims.

Vice News has this dramatic footage on the storming of a police station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Horlivka on Monday.

Here is President Obama telling CBS News that it will cost Russia if it carries on "destabilising" Russia.

Vladimir Putin is scheduled to respond to questions from Russian citizens in his annual call-in at 9am UK time, so we'll be keeping an eye on what he has to say ahead of the Geneva talks.

Why have the Ukrainian security forces been so ineffectual? Ivan Lozowy, a Kiev-based political analyst, who was in Luhansk where pro-Russia activists briefly took over the government office, had this to say to Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty.

The bad news is that law enforcement is really very passive, and in some ways even cooperating with the pro-Russia protesters. The traffic police have sealed off the city centre, but they regularly let various supplies pass through for the pro-Russia protesters grouped around the secret-service building. People are complaining that members of the Russia protest camp are sitting in expensive restaurants, eating and drinking for free, and walking along the streets carrying Kalashnikovs, and no one is trying to take the guns away or arrest them or anything. The local government is not dealing with the situation on the ground, which of course only allows the problem to grow.

Before all this started, law enforcement was living a fairly easy life in the sense that the local police and secret service were all involved in various schemes to obtain money -- corruption, protection, racketeering, things like that. Suddenly, there was a serious, even deadly, situation where masked gunmen had seized the secret-service building. And these law enforcement types, who aren't used to enforcing the law but have just been making money on the side, were simply unprepared and didn't want to risk their lives in order to face these armed terrorists and separatists.

Another factor is that Luhansk Oblast is controlled by Oleksandr Yefremov, the head of the parliamentary faction of Party of Regions. He's one of the top people in that organisation before it started falling apart after [ousted President Viktor] Yanukovych fled Ukraine, and he's the boss of the Donbas (eastern Ukraine). He's supporting these separatists and terrorists to some extent. Probably financially, certainly morally. He may well be behind instructing local law enforcement officials to hold back. He's interested in Luhansk being a problem area, so that his hold on local business, local politics is not dislodged by the new government in Kiev.

Reuters has details on the deaths of three people in the town of Mariupol after a clash between separatists and government forces.

Separatists attacked a base of the Ukrainian national guard in an eastern city overnight and, in shooting that ensued, three of them were killed, the interior minister said on Thursday.

The minister, Arsen Avakov, said in a post on Facebook that an armed group of about 300 attacked the base in Mariupol on the Sea of Azov with guns and petrol bombs. National guard members first fired warning shots but then opened fire as the attack continued, Avakov said

"According to preliminary data, three attackers were killed, 13 wounded and 63 detained," Avakov said.

That would make the attack, which occurred on the eve of international four-way talks in Geneva on the crisis in Ukraine , the deadliest since separatist rebellions broke out in Russian-speaking eastern areas of Ukraine over 10 days ago.

"Given the aggressive nature of the attack on the base, an interior ministry group has been strengthened by Omega special forces. Helicopters have been sent in," Avakov said.

The Mariupol city administration was seized at the weekend by separatists. It was not known if it was still under their control.

The Guardian has details city-by-city on the spreading conflict in eastern Ukraine. Timothy Garton Ash has an interesting piece on how the crisis is being viewed among the emerging powers. It will make uncomfortable reading for western leaders. He writes:

What the west faces here is the uncoiling of two giant springs. One, which has been extensively commented upon, is the coiled spring of Mother Russia's resentment at the way her empire has shrunk over the past 25 years – all the way back from the heart of Germany to the heart of Kievan Rus. The other is the coiled spring of resentment at centuries of western colonial domination... they (Brics) they do share a strong and prickly concern for their own sovereignty, a resistance to North Americans and Europeans telling them what is good for them, and a certain instinctive glee, or schadenfreude, at seeing Uncle Sam (not to mention little John Bull) being poked in the eye by that pugnacious Russian.

The focus of the Ukraine crisis today moves to Geneva where diplomats from Ukraine, the US, the European Union and Russia meet for the first time over the gravest crisis between the west and Russia since the cold war.

Little headway is expected, however. US officials are playing down expectations of a breakthrough or Russian concessions meaningful enough to avoid new American and European sanctions. Taking part will be John Kerry, the US secretary of state, Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, Ukraine's Andriy Deshchytsya, and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

The sanctions likely will target more wealthy individuals close to president Vladimir Putin and the entities they run, while military aid for Ukraine could include medical supplies and clothing.

"Each time Russia takes these kinds of steps that are designed to destabilise Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, there are going to be consequences," Barack Obama said yesterday in an interview with CBS News. "Mr Putin's decisions aren't just bad for Ukraine. Over the long term, they're going to be bad for Russia."

On Tuesday, Ukraine tried to reassert its authority in the east of the country by sending troops to take back towns seized by pro-Russian militia. The attempts were a fiasco as troops abandoned their vehicles in the town of Slavyansk. The Guardian's Luke Harding describes the scene here. His prognosis is that Ukraine is rapidly vanishing as a sovereign state and its army falling apart.

Meanwhile Ukraine's interior minister said on Thursday that three pro-Russian separatists were killed in shooting that broke out overnight in the town of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, Reuters reported.

Putin has said this week's "anti-terrorist operation" in the east by Kiev's new, interim leaders as pushing the country dangerously close to civil war.