(Vatican Radio) Ukraine's parliament has approved an interim government that is taking
over a nation facing immediate economic collapse and heightened military tensions
with neighboring Russia, while armed men have taken over the parliament on the Crimean
Peninsula.
Listen to the report by Stefan Bos...
Former economy
minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was installed as new prime minister Thursday, but there
was little to celebrate. He said ousted President Viktor Yanukovich, who reportedly
fled to Russia, has been robbing the country as some “37 billion dollars of credit
received have disappeared in an unknown direction."
And, he explained, about
70 billion dollars was paid out of Ukraine's financial system into off-shore bank
accouunts over the past three years. Yatsenyuk claimed the state treasury was now
empty and warned the economy was on the brink of collapse.
Besides immediate
economic difficulties, Ukraine's new leadership was also dealing Thursday with a perceived
military threat from neighboring Russia.
WARNING RUSSIA
Acting President
Oleksander Turchinov warned Russia not to intervene. He said "any military movement"
by the Russian military in Crimea outside the Russian Black Sea fleet's base in
Sevastopol
would be regarded as "an act of aggression".
President Turchinov issued the
warning in national parliament after armed men seized the regional government and
parliament buildings in Crimea, where some ethnic Russians want the area to join the
Russian Federation.
A Russian flag could be seen on top of the parliament
building, where barricades were put in front of the entrance with slogans such as
Crimea is Russian.
"Nobody knows exactly what's happening inside,"
said an eyewitness outside the parliament building.
OCCUPYING BUILDING
"We
only saw that they occupied the building. Some 30 heavily armed men ran inside. When
they took over the complex, they kicked out security personnel," he added.
Crimea
was once part of Russia, where President Vladimir Putin ordered 150,000 troops to
be ready for war games near Ukraine, while fighter jets were prepared for possible
combat.
Russia is furious about the ouster of President Yanukovich, who
is reportedly staying in Moscow under government protection.
Yanukovich
said Thursday he is Ukraine's legitimate president that people in the southeastern
and southern regions would never accept what he called the “lawlessness” brought by
leaders chosen by a mob.