Bill Clinton Heckled During N Ireland Speech

The former US president Bill Clinton has been heckled over Iraq during a speech in Northern Ireland.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Restaurant'

Oscar Pistorius injured a professional boxer by firing a gun in a restaurant then asked his friend to take the blame, a court has heard.

Cruiserweight fighter Kevin Lerena, giving evidence at his friend's murder trial, said he and several others were dining with the Paralympic star in Johannesburg on January 13 last year.

Mr Lerena said he saw Pistorius' friend Darren Fresco pass a gun to him under the table, shortly before a shot went off.

He said: "There was blood on my toe. I went to the bathroom. I was shocked.

"Oscar apologised. I remember that I was in shock. I've never been in a confined area where a gunshot has gone off by accident.

Cruiserweight boxer Kevin Lerena is giving evidence on camera

"(Pistorius) told Fresco: 'Tell them it was you, I don't want any more media hype around me.'"

Mr Lerena is the first witness to agree to appearing on camera while giving his evidence.

:: A special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday on Sky News at 9.30pm.

He told prosecutor Gerrie Nel that when Mr Fresco handed the gun to Pistorius he said it was "one up", a term meaning there is one bullet in the chamber.

He said Pistorius removed a bullet from the chamber, then the "next moment" there was a shot.

Pistorius, carrying a briefcase, enters the dock for the third day

Earlier, evidence given by one of the prosecution's key witnesses was repeatedly challenged by Pistorius' defence team during a tense cross-examination.

Charl Peter Johnson's claim that he heard a woman screaming after the final gunshot on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed was criticised by Barry Roux, because it did not appear in his initial witness statement.

The athlete removed his jacket after entering court

Mr Roux said: "In your evidence you described the woman screaming. You said you could hear the fear. What is significant is that in your wife's (Michelle Burger) testimony, she said she could hear the woman's intense fear in her screams. Yet this is not in your statement.

"When you gave evidence yesterday, it was not stated in your statement but you now speak about the scream after the last shot.

"I think you don't know what you are saying. You are saying all the evidence that your wife gave us yesterday."

Pistorius leans over the dock to talk to members of his legal team

But Mr Johnson said: "I don't think it is strange that we used the same words."

The issue of the sound of a woman screaming is a key point for the prosecution. The claims by neighbours that they heard the screams suggest Pistorius would have known it was Ms Steenkamp, rather than an intruder, as he fired.

At one point, as Mr Roux became increasingly exasperated during his questioning, he turned around and glanced at Pistorius and told Mr Johnson: "A man's life is at stake here."

The athlete arrived at the Pretoria court flanked by his cousins

Pistorius showed no emotion as he - surrounded by his cousins - entered the court in South Africa's administrative capital earlier.

There were shouts and whistles as he made his way through the crowd towards the court's entrance.

Mr Johnson started his evidence by saying his phone number was read out in court on Tuesday, and he had received phone calls from members of the public as a result.

Pistorius wiped his eyes during the emotional second day of the trial

He said: "The message was intimidating. I feel that my privacy has been compromised."

He said one caller left a voicemail message saying: "Why are you lying in court? You know Oscar didn't kill Reeva. It's not cool."

He will return to court on Thursday to continue giving evidence. In the meantime the defence will pore over notes he made about the night of the killing.

Pistorius says he mistakenly thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder

Pistorius faces four charges: premeditated murder, the illegal possession of ammunition and two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

Pistorius, known as Blade Runner, denies all of the charges, including the allegation he deliberately killed his girlfriend after a jealous row.

He maintains he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

If he is found guilty Pistorius could be jailed for at least 25 years. His fate will be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa because South Africa does not have a jury system.

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Ukraine: Russia 'Wants To Prevent Bloodshed'

Moscow has said it will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, despite reports of confrontations between forces loyal to Kiev and pro-Russian armed groups.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov struck the conciliatory tone before he was due to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State John Kerry for the first time since the stalemate began.

Speaking at a news briefing with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo in Madrid, he said it was important for Russia to continue talks with Nato and EU leaders.

Mr Lavrov also said Moscow would like to see a de-escalation in tensions, sparked by Russian intervention in Ukraine's Crimea region.

But he added that "nobody has the right to be angry with Russia".

Sky's Andrew Wilson, in Perevalnoe, Ukraine, said Mr Lavrov is an "experienced, old hand at this" and "is mapping out a slightly clearer position than we've seen from Mr Putin."

Mr Lavrov answers journalists' questions in Madrid

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin told his cabinet he did not want the tensions to detract from economic co-operation with Moscow's "traditional partners".

British Prime Minister David Cameron said there would be "costs and consequences" for Russia if it did not ease the crisis in Ukraine.

Troops, believed to be Russian soldiers, march outside a Ukrainian base

He told Prime Minister's Questions it should not be a "tug of war" between Russia and the West.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU is ready to provide 11bn euros (£9.2bn) of financial support to Ukraine over the next couple of years.

The EU said it could vote on Russian sanctions on Thursday if there is no de-escalation in the stand-off before then.

Mr Putin has previously said any Western sanctions against Moscow would be counter-productive.

US Secretary of State John Kerry in Kiev with Ukraine's leaders

America has already threatened sanctions, with a senior US official saying Washington is ready to impose them in days rather than weeks.

Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov are due to meet in Paris this afternoon to discuss the ongoing tensions.

Donald MacLaren, a former British ambassador to Georgia, told Sky News the West needs to "reshape its relationship" with Russia.

He said: "The lessons the Russians have learned from that (recent negotiations) is we cannot only stay where we wanted to be, but go beyond that, and still be welcome in Western and global institutions - very bad negotiation."

Earlier, US President Barack Obama spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about a plan to end the stalemate.

Troops in Belbek relax after a stand-off with the Russian military

Under the proposal, Russia would pull back its forces in Crimea to their bases in the peninsula and limit troop numbers to a Ukraine-agreed maximum of 11,000.

However, Mr Lavrov said that pro-Russian armed groups operating in Crimea were "self-defence" forces who do not answer to Moscow.

He added that Russian naval personnel in the region were in their normal positions.

A senior American official has said the plan would also see international monitors allowed in to ensure the human rights of ethnic Russians are protected.

People watch the latest news on a TV screen at Independence square, Kiev

Seen as an effort to offer Mr Putin a way out of the crisis without losing face, the plan would pave the way for direct talks between Moscow and the new Ukraine government with the potential for some international mediation.

The proposal would also see planned elections in Ukraine this May go ahead.

But Mr Obama sounded a cautious note when commenting on the crisis at a fundraiser on Tuesday night.

"We may be able to de-escalate over the next several days and weeks," he said. "It's a serious situation and we are spending a lot of time on it."

The US official added that Mr Obama had made clear to Ms Merkel that he would not attend a G8 summit scheduled for June in Sochi, Russia, if the situation in Ukraine had not changed.

Preparatory meetings about the summit have already been suspended.

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Ukraine Police Clear Pro-Russia Protesters

Ukraine: Sanctions On Russia Would Be Effective

Updated: 8:31pm UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

There is an assumption out there - one reflected in the briefing document inadvertently flashed to photographers by an official outside Downing Street - that economic sanctions on Russia would not be worthwhile.

The rationale has two strands: first, that any bar on trade and finance with Russia would end up being worse for Britain than for Russia, and second, that Russia, with its experience of illicit financial flows would be able to circumvent the sanctions anyway.

Both of these arguments are bogus. There is reason to believe that sanctions on Russia would be more effective now than at any time in recent years.

In order to understand why, one must first of all examine the economic linkages between the UK and Russia.

This is no mean feat as much of the cash flow between the two countries is thought to be illicit, and therefore flies beneath the radar.

But with the use of one or two big numbers, one can, at the very least get an idea.

The first thing to remember here that when one talks about economic sanctions, there are two main elements: first, bars on trade and second, bars on financial flows.

The impact of the trade barriers are relatively predictable, because we have a far better idea of how many goods pass between our two countries.

According to the Pink Book, the definitive annual ONS survey of trade flows, Russia is a relatively important trade partner for Britain - the 12th biggest destination for UK goods exports and the 25th biggest destination for services exports.

It is the 14th biggest source of UK goods imports and the 29th biggest source of UK services imports, which puts it behind Cyprus and a touch ahead of Austria.

In other words, in trade terms, Russia is no minnow, but neither is it as essential a trade partner as the US, Germany or France.

The interesting bit comes when one considers the flow of cash between the two countries.

Let's focus first of all on Russian cash heading into the UK. Pinning down just how much there is tricky.

We know that a lot of money has escaped from Russia in the past few years. The central bank quoted a figure of $56bn (£33bn) of outflows in 2012 alone, two-thirds of which it believes may be illicit.

Parsing International Monetary Figures to try to get a sense of outflows, the total between 2005 and 2013 is a touch more conservative at about $103bn (£62bn).

Either way, these are big numbers, and reflect cash that has simply left the country for other shores.

There is no definitive measure of how much of this flow has come into the UK, but based on the country's international investment position - a measure of how many assets Russians hold in the UK (and vice versa) - the answer is likely to be, an awful lot.

According to the latest numbers, a quarter of the Russian banking sector's entire foreign assets are in the UK. The total ($27.6bn) is greater than is in any other country worldwide.

The flow in the other direction is equally important.

According to figures Sky News has analysed from the Russian central bank, Britain has, in recent years, become the biggest provider of loans to Russian businesses.

Now, to some extent, both this and the previous numbers are a reflection of the fact that London is the world's premier centre of finance; much of this cash will originate in other countries and simply flow through the UK.

Nonetheless, this underlines that Russia has been highly reliant on flows of money through the UK in recent years and remains so today.

In other words, were there to be financial sanctions on the country, they would have more impact if levied by the UK than by any other country in the world.

The flipside, of course, is that would also represent a significant financial blow for the City which, on the basis of these numbers, has become quite reliant on Russian business as well.

But the evidence above underlines that far from having little impact, a ban on financial links with Moscow would make an enormous difference.

This impression is reinforced when one recalls that Cyprus, which used to provide the bulk of finance to Russia, is much less likely to be able to given it is still yet to remove the capital controls it imposed during its euro crisis last year.

In other words, while there may well be alternative sources of finance for Russian businesses, they may not be big and liquid enough to replace the City of London.

Finally, it so happens that this is a moment of particular vulnerability for the Russian economy. The past couple of years have been tepid in terms of economic growth. The central bank's decision to raise interest rates by a full 1.5% this week comes at about the worst possible time.

The collapse in the stock market on Monday is a further signal of financial stress. Though there are perpetual fears that the country might turn off the gas pipelines into Europe, it's worth remembering that this is something the country has never fully gone ahead with - not during the previous Ukraine crises, not even during the dying days of the Cold War.

What's remarkable, actually, is how little Russia's gas production levels have changed over the past quarter of a century. And there's a good reason for this: it is deeply reliant on that gas revenue.

All of which makes President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine even more of a gamble. The country is extremely sensitive to sanctions - both financial (primarily London) and trade (primarily those countries which consume lots of Russian gas, such as Germany, Ukraine and Turkey).

Beneath the bluster, Mr Putin will be hoping desperately that the G7 governments remain too wary to impose them at all.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Pistorius Trial: Reeva 'Couldn't Have Screamed'

Oscar Pistorius' defence team says claims by a neighbour that she heard a woman's screams after Reeva Steenkamp was shot will be thrown into doubt by expert evidence.

Neighbour Michelle Burger, who says she heard Ms Steenkamp being killed by Pistorius, is being grilled by the athlete's defence team for a second day.

Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

She told the packed courtroom in South Africa's administrative capital Pretoria she heard a woman screaming as shots were being fired in Pistorius' residence.

But Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux said: "We will debate the sequence of the bullets. We will have experts state that there was serious brain damage after the shot to the head, that it would not have been possible for her to scream at all."

Pistorius chats with his legal team during a break

Ms Burger replied: "As I said yesterday, I heard her voice just after the last shot. It could have been that it was as the last shot was fired."

The prosecution later said that had the head shot been the final shot, Ms Steenkamp could have screamed until then.

Pistorius looks on from the dock as the case unfolds

Mr Roux opened Tuesday's questioning by saying he wanted to focus on two aspects of Ms Burger, her "credibility and reliability".

Mr Roux has repeatedly attempted to establish this morning that Ms Burger had already decided she did not believe Pistorius' account of the evening - that he believed there was an intruder in his home - when she gave her evidence contradicting his story.

The world's media is watching the case closely

She is the prosecution's key witness, as her account of hearing a woman's screams suggests Pistorius would have known that it was his girlfriend rather than an intruder when he fired.

A tense exchange between Mr Roux and Ms Burger came to a climax when he said he had asked her the same question eight times.

Pistorius' family are in the public gallery

"I'm going to be really slow this time," he said. "You heard at the bail application that it was put on behalf of Mr Pistorius that Reeva did not scream that night, is that correct?"

After giving an unclear answer, Judge Thokozile Masipa insisted that she had to give a clear answer. Eventually, the witness admitted she had heard about Pistorius' claims.

The Pretoria home of Pistorius pictured after the shooting

Mr Roux said: "You've watched Sky News, you've watched other channels, and you've got retrospective knowledge and you take that knowledge and you come and give evidence today as if it's the knowledge of that fateful evening."

Later, her husband Charl Peter Johnson took to the witness stand.

Pistorius turns to chat to his uncle

He said: "We were under the impression that they were being held up in their house.

"I lay in bed thinking of how I can improve the security around my house. I fell asleep at about 4am.

The Paralympic athlete looks down at his notes

"When I woke up I started measuring around the house. I went to work early around 6am and I remembered surfing on the web for security gates for costs."

Earlier, the trial was temporarily delayed after an image of the witness was used by a South African news organisation.

The trial is being televised, but witnesses can choose not to appear on camera.

Ms Burger did not want to be filmed or pictured, and the case was temporarily adjourned just before 8am after Judge Masipa was alerted to an image of the witness that had appeared in local media.

The judge said she viewed the error as "serious" and ordered an investigation.

The double-amputee is accused of the premeditated murder of Ms Steenkamp last Valentine's Day after a jealous row, illegal possession of ammunition and two additional counts relating to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

The 27-year-old, who is known as the Blade Runner, denies all the charges against him. He claims he shot his girlfriend by mistake at his home after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial, large parts of which can be broadcast live after a landmark ruling, is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

South Africa does not have a jury system. Instead, Judge Masipa will decide his fate.

If Pistorius is found guilty he could be jailed for at least 25 years.

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:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday at 9.30pm.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Ukraine: Russian Troops Fire Warning Shots

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 10:13am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch. The Ukrainian military says it was given a deadline of 3am on March 4 to surrender or face a "full assault". Russia denies issuing the ultimatum. The US suspends all military engagements with Russia.

:: March 4, 2014 - Russian military exercises on the Ukraine border end. Russian troops fire warning shots at Ukraine servicemen outside Belbek airbase in Crimea.

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Policeman Shot Five Sword-Wielding Terrorists

A policeman who shot five men as they slayed people with swords has recalled the night of terror which left 29 civilians dead in China.

The officer and three colleagues were on patrol when they were called to what state media have described as "China's 9/11".

A further 143 people were injured during the train station attack in the southwestern city of Kunming on Saturday night.

The unidentified officer told state television: "When we arrived at the site I saw some people were wielding curved swords, maybe four to five, to hack people around them.

"Some people had been put down onto the ground but the attackers still stabbed them."

Police investigate the scene of the massacre

The officer was leading his team and carried their only automatic firearm.

After pulling up 15 metres (nearly 50ft) from the attackers he fired a warning shot and ordered them to throw down their swords.

He told China Central Television: "The five attackers turned around to me and rushed at me wielding their swords.

"I fired another shot into the air and ordered them again to put down their swords.

"When a thin one in a black mask with a curved sword about 60-70 centimetres long was about one metre from my gun muzzle, I shot him down."

Officers patrol the site where 29 civilians were killed

He said the others continued to rush at him "more crazily", and that he shot all of them in a matter of seconds.

Officials said an eight-strong gang carried out the attack, four of whom were shot dead.

One was injured at the scene and three other suspects were captured on Monday.

China has attributed the attack to militants in the far-western region of Xinjiang, though no group has claimed responsibility.

Uighur separatists have waged a rebellion against Chinese rule in Xinjiang.

China says these fighters have links with international Muslim terror organisations.

However, some analysts believe citing ties abroad is China's way of vindicating its heavy approach in Xinjiang.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Putin: Russia Can Use 'All Means' In Ukraine

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 10:13am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch. The Ukrainian military says it was given a deadline of 3am on March 4 to surrender or face a "full assault". Russia denies issuing the ultimatum. The US suspends all military engagements with Russia.

:: March 4, 2014 - Russian military exercises on the Ukraine border end. Russian troops fire warning shots at Ukraine servicemen outside Belbek airbase in Crimea.

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Russia And China 'In Agreement' Over Ukraine

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 11:46am UK, Monday 03 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch.

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Ukraine Defection Reflects Escalating Rift

By Katie Stallard, in Sevastopol, Crimea

The head of Ukraine's navy is a traitor or a patriot, depending which side you believe.

Kiev says Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky has been fired and is suspected of treason - "for refusing to fight Russians and surrendering the Sevastopol HQ".

Russian TV showed him swearing an oath of allegiance to the new pro-Russian leader of Crimea, and promising to protect citizens' lives.

Mr Berezovsky pledged to "strictly obey the orders of the supreme commander of the autonomous republic of Crimea" and "defend the lives and freedom" of Crimea's people.

He was only appointed 24 hours ago.

A Russian warship enters the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Sunday

New Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyanov appeared alongside him, announcing that he had given orders to Ukrainian naval forces on the peninsula to ignore orders from the "self-proclaimed" government in Kiev.

He said they would now be known as the "Navy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea".

The immediate question is how this filters down through the ranks - whether other units, ships and officers will follow suit.

The national government claimed earlier that 10 Ukrainian navy ships were in Sevastopol bay, and were still loyal to Kiev and armed.

They might not be so sure of this now.

Ukraine's navy is less than a tenth of the size of Russia's. It was never going to be the decisive factor, but what happened on Sunday was symbolic - and a propaganda coup for the Kremlin.

Thousands attend a rally on Sunday in Kiev's Independence Square

Parallel to the troop movements and the strategic positioning, there is an ongoing battle for the moral high ground.

There are two competing narratives about what is happening here - and both sides claim passionately they are right.

The national unity government and protesters in Independence Square in Kiev say there has been a revolution, that a corrupt, autocratic regime has been overthrown, in short that 'the people' have won.

Russia and its supporters in Crimea insist fascists have seized power, that the country has descended into lawlessness and chaos, and the Kremlin is only acting to protect citizens' lives.

Both sides are equally entrenched.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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