VIDEO: Stand-off as Ukraine leader calls on Russian troops to retreat

Ukraine’s new prime minister has urged Russian president Vladimir Putin to pull back his troops in the dispute between their two countries over Crimea, saying “we are on the brink of disaster”.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk spoke after a closed session of his new parliament in Kiev, calling on Mr Putin to “pull back his military”.

A convoy of hundreds of Russian troops headed toward the capital of Ukraine’s Crimea region today, a day after Russia’s forces took over the strategic Black Sea peninsula without firing a shot.

It was reported that hundreds of unidentified gunmen arrived outside Ukraine's infantry base in Privolnoye in its Crimea region.

The convoy included at least 13 troop vehicles each containing 30 soldiers and four armoured vehicles with mounted machine guns.

The vehicles – which have Russian licence plates – have surrounded the base and are blocking Ukrainian soldiers from entering or leaving it.

Ukrainian soldiers, with clips in their weapons, have positioned a tank at the gate.