Russia must stop Crimea provocations, says Ukraine's Turchynov

Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has accused Russia of deploying troops to Crimea and trying to provoke Kiev into "armed conflict".

In a televised address, he said Moscow wanted the new interim government to react to provocations so it could annex Crimea.

It comes amid unconfirmed reports that Russian planes have flown hundreds of troops into the region.

Armed men, thought to be loyal to Russia, have also taken over key hubs.

President Turchynov appealed to President Putin to "stop provocations and start negotiations".

He said Russia was behaving as it did before sending troops into Georgia in 2008 over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have large ethnic Russian populations.

"They are implementing the scenario like the one carried out in Abkhazia, when after provoking a conflict, they started an annexation of the territory," President Turchynov said.

Protecting 'strategic sites'

His statement came a few hours after the Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken of the "extreme importance of not allowing a further escalation of violence" during telephone conversations with Western leaders.

However, flights from and to the Crimean capital, Simferopol, were cancelled with airlines saying airspace over the peninsula had been closed.

Senior Ukrainian official Sergiy Kunitsyn told local media 13 Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops had landed at a military air base near Simferopol. This remains unconfirmed.

Earlier in the day, Russian armoured vehicles and helicopters were seen in and around Simferopol and Sevastopol, where Russia's Black Sea Fleet are based.

Armed men in unidentified military uniforms have moved in on Crimea's parliament, state television building and telecommunication centres.

They are also patrolling the airports in Simferopol and Sevastopol.

The editor of the main television station told the BBC he was informed the men were protecting strategic points in the area, in this case the broadcasting tower.

Ukraine has formally lodged a protest with Russia over what it called a violation of Ukrainian airspace and a failure to observe an agreement on the stationing of Russia troops in Crimea.

On Friday, Ukraine's former President Viktor Yanukovych made his first public appearance since being ousted from office a week ago.

At a news conference in Russia, he apologised for not "having enough strength to keep stability" in Ukraine and called his usurpers "young, neo-fascist thugs".

Mr Yanukovych said would "continue to struggle for the future of Ukraine", but said he would only return if his safety could be guaranteed.

Ukraine has started procedures demanding his extradition.