Thursday 17 April 2014 16.15 Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he very much hopes he will not have to use his "right" to send Russian military forces into Ukraine amid the intensifying crisis.
During his annual live phone-in on Russian television, he recalled that the Russian upper house of parliament had on 1 March authorised him to send troops onto Ukrainian territory.
Russia's main demand was for guarantees of the protection of the rights for Russian-speakers living in south and east Ukraine, he said.
"It is a question of guarantees for these people."
His comments came as four-party talks involving Ukraine, Russia, the EU and the United States began in Geneva.
Mr Putin also confirmed Russian forces were active in Crimea in order to support local defence forces.
It is the first time he has admitted deployment of Russian troops on the Black Sea peninsula.
"We had to take unavoidable steps so that events did not develop as they are currently developing in southeast Ukraine," Mr Putin said.
"Of course our troops stood behind Crimea's self-defence forces."
However, he has denied that Russian troops are currently in eastern Ukraine and said the claims were "rubbish".
Mr Putin said that the deployment of armed forces to the east of the country is another serious crime by the Ukrainian government.
He called on the Ukrainian government to enter talks with the Russian-speaking communities in the east.
Mr Putin said he was hopeful that the Ukraine crisis will be resolved by political and diplomatic means.
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia said their main demand in today's talks is to de-escalate the situation in regions of Ukraine.
He added: "We want Russia to withdraw the troops from the eastern borders of Ukraine. We want Russia to not support the terrorist activities in eastern regions of Ukraine."
He also said Ukraine wants Russia to "confirm that Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine" and to "withdraw troops from the Crimea".
Mr Deshchytsia stressed that the bilateral talks will involve the "regional government's reform", which will "give more rights to the local communities".
"We are also talking about the constitutional reform in Ukraine.
"But it is up to Ukraine, Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian government to deal with these issues. We are not ready, we are not going to discuss with Russia the issues of the internal development of Ukraine," Mr Deshchytsia said.
Elsewhere, US President Barack Obama has said Russia can expect further sanctions if it steps up support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"What I have said consistently is that each time Russia takes these kinds of steps that are designed to destabilise Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, that there are going to be consequences," he said in an interview with CBS.
Mr Obama said Russia has been hurt by sanctions already levied in connection with Crimea's separation from Ukraine in March, which the US and its allies said was the result of Russian intervention.
He said he believes that Russia is not interested in any military confrontation with the US, which has superior military forces.
"We don't need a war," he added.
Three killed in raid on Ukrainian base
Ukrainian troops repelled an overnight attack on their base in the southeast city of Mariupol, killing three of the assailants and wounding 13, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has said.
Around 300 people mounted the attack using guns and petrol bombs on the interior ministry troops, none of whom were hurt, Mr Avakov said on his Facebook page.
Earlier, the interior ministry said in a statement that a crowd of armed protesters arrived at the base.
It said they demanded that the national guard troops back their revolt against the country's new pro-Western government.
When the crowd refused to disperse and tried to enter the base, the national guard troops shot into the air, the ministry said.
The Ukrainian security service said it had detained about ten Russian citizens with intelligence backgrounds.
Pro-Russian separatists have taken over buildings in at least ten cities in eastern Ukraine, attacks the Ukrainian government has said are orchestrated by Russian agents.
The Mariupol city administration is already under the control of separatists.
Russia said the attacks are spontaneous protests by Russian speakers angry at the country's new government, which is more popular in the Ukrainian speaking west of the country.
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