Ukraine crisis: Putin orders troops back from border / Crimea helicopters try to disrupt Tatar rallies

BBC News reported on the 19 May 2014, quoting a statement from the Kremlin, that Russia's President Vladimir Putin had ordered troops near Ukraine's border to withdraw. The United States and NATO said there was no indication that Russian troops had moved away from the border with Ukraine.

On the previous day, military helicopters flew low over a crowd of Tatars in Crimea, in an apparent attempt to disrupt rallies marking Stalin's mass deportations. Mass gatherings had been banned ahead of the 70th anniversary commemorations by the new leadership in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March 2014.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on the 19 May 2014 that Russia’s partition of Ukraine had created “a completely new security situation in Europe.”

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Putin defies West with Crimea visit / EU foreign ministers to raise pressure on Russia over Ukraine http://www.europeansources.info/record/putin-defies-west-with-crimea-visit-eu-foreign-ministers-to-raise-pressure-on-russia-over-ukraine/

ESO: Key Source: Euromaidan - Protests in Ukraine 2013 - 2015 - Key source http://www.europeansources.info/record/euromaidan-protests-in-ukraine-2013-2015/

BBC News, 18.05.14: Crimea helicopters try to disrupt Tatar rallies http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27461159

BBC News, 19.05.14: Ukraine crisis: Inside pro-Russia militia training camp http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27447264

Euronews, 18.05.14: Crimean Tatars defy ban to mark anniversary of Soviet mass deportation http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/18/crimean-tartars-defy-ban-to-mark-anniversary-of-soviet-mass-deportation/

Deutsche Welle, 18.05.14: Spiegel: NATO unprepared if Russia moved into Baltic members http://dw.de/p/1C1xL

ESO: Background information: Speech for the commemoration of 70th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-speech-for-the-commemoration-of-70th-anniversary-of-the-deportation-of-crimean-tatars/

EUObserver, 20.05.14: Nato chief describes 'outrageous' Russia as threat to Europe http://euobserver.com/defence/124184

BBC News, 20.05.14: Ukrainian tycoon Rinat Akhmetov confronts rebellion http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27483719

Deutsche Welle, 19.05.14: US, NATO dismiss reports of Russian pull-back from Ukraine border region http://dw.de/p/1C2kF

Spiegel Online International, 19.05.14: Unprotected in the East: NATO Appears Toothless in Ukraine Crisis http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/ukraine-crisis-shows-up-cracks-in-nato-a-970248.html

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