Russia defies global pressure, deploys more troops in Ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama have agreed that Russia must face "significant costs" if it does not change course, even as Moscow today built up more troops in the troubled Ukraine.

Obama spoke with 10 Downing Street on Sunday. But rather than a climb-down, Russia today began a build-up of armoured vehicles on its side of the narrow stretch of water between Russia and the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia reserves the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine

Russian ships have also been moving in and around the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, where its Black Sea Fleet has a base, and forces have blocked mobile telephone services in some parts of Crimea. Reports say Moscow is now in complete control of the region.

There has been no immediate comment from the Russian defence ministry.

Russian forces have taken control of Crimea, which has an ethnic Russian majority, and Ukraine has ordered a military mobilisation as well as putting its forces on combat alert.

International pressure
The world's top economic powers have condemned Russia for its military actions in Crimea and its build up on the Ukraine border. Britain, the US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan have all withdrawn from the G8 summit in the Russian city of Sochi.

The G7 group of developed nations has already said that it was suspending preparations for this year's G8 summit in Russia.

NATO and the United Nations are also increasing their pressure on Russia as tensions rise over its actions on the Crimean Peninsula – the historic conflict area which inspired Tennyson's famous poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

"I appeal to [Russian president Vladimir Putin] urgently engage in direct dialogue with the authorities in Kiev," secretary general of the UN Ban Ki-moon has said.

The UK's Prince Edward has cancelled a visit to the Sochi Paralympics, as patron of the British Paralympic Association, on government advice. The Earl of Wessex has also cancelled his visit to the Sochi Winter Olympics

Ukraine has ordered a full military mobilisation in response to Russia's build-up of forces on the peninsula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia reserves the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine.

A Downing Street spokesman said, "The prime minister and President Obama spoke at 9 pm tonight [Sunday]. They agreed that Russia's actions were completely unacceptable, and [stressed] the urgent need for de-escalation and for Russia to engage in a dialogue directly with Ukraine.

"They agreed there must be 'significant costs' to Russia if it did not change course on Ukraine."

A statement from the G7 said it was suspending preparations for June's G8 summit in the Russian resort of Sochi because of the "clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine".

It called on Moscow to "address any ongoing security or human rights concerns that it has with Ukraine through direct negotiations".

The G7 nations comprise the UK, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, while the G8 includes Russia along with the other seven.