Ukraine orders up 60,000 emergency force to face Russia

Civilians stand during a swearing in ceremony before joining the newly formed army of Crimea at a military base in Simferopol, Ukraine. Photo / AP

Ukraine must be ready for a full-scale Russian invasion "at any moment", the country's Acting President warned yesterday, as officials announced the emergency call-up of a 60,000-strong national guard force.

Oleksander Turchynov said Moscow was ready to go much further than the annexation of the Black Sea territory of Crimea, which is expected to vote to secede from Ukraine in a referendum tomorrow.

Only clear international pressure could halt the momentum of the Kremlin, he said. "All of civilised humanity supports our country," said Turchynov. "I am sure that this united effort in the international arena, bringing together all democratic countries, can still allow us to halt this aggression."

Western diplomats are preparing sanctions against Russian officials and politicians. They are likely to be imposed on Monday in response to the referendum, which has been framed in a way that does not offer Crimeans the option of remaining an autonomous part of Ukraine.

Ukraine's Parliament voted to create the national guard from Interior Ministry employees and members of the militias that emerged from the pro-Western protest movement that toppled Viktor Yanukovych, the former President.

The measure was passed as Russia confirmed that it was conducting military manoeuvres in the Rostov, Tambov and Belgorod regions near the Ukraine border, involving 8500 ground troops, 270 tanks and 180 armoured personnel carriers. "The main purpose of these actions is to completely check teamwork of the units and make them implement combat missions on an unknown territory," the Russian Defence Ministry said.

With tensions mounting across the region, Moscow also sent three fighter jets to Belarus at the request of its Government following the deployment of 12 F-16 fighters to Poland by the US.

Turchynov said mismanagement of the security forces by Yanukovych had rendered the country incapable of defending itself. He said the forces would be rebuilt "effectively from scratch".

Illustrating the volatility of Crimea, the Ukrainian commander of an airbase in Sevastopol asked his superiors in Kiev to give him instructions should he be fired upon. "To avoid armed confrontations, I ask you to tell us as quickly as possible what commanding officers need to do if troops or members of their families come under threat," said Colonel Yuli Mamchur on Ukrainian television. "If you do not make a decision, we will act according to the status of the Ukrainian armed forces, even opening fire if need be."