Ukraine mobilises its forces for war

Ukraine mobilised for war yesterday after Russian president Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade, creating the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

“This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country,” said Ukraine’s prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, head of a pro-Western government that took power when Russian ally Viktor Yanukovych fled last week.

Putin obtained permission from his parliament on Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine.