Ukraine's acting president gives Crimean authorities 3 hours to release all hostages, stop provocations

Acting President of Ukraine, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Turchynov has given the self-appointed authorities of Crimea three hours to release all hostages and stop provocations on the peninsula, otherwise he will order "appropriate steps" including technical and technological ones.

"Unless all provocations against the Ukrainian troops and Admiral Haiduk (Ukrainian Naval Forces Commander Serhiy Haiduk) cease by 21.00 and all other hostages, both military and civilian, are released, the authorities will take appropriate steps, including technical and technological in nature," Turchynov said in a statement published on the acting president's Web site.