Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost... (Associated Press) 
 
 A Ukrainian soldier stands guard at the gate of a military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's... (Associated Press) 
 
 A Ukrainian armored personnel carrier is stationed behind the gate of a military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, left, and British Foreign Secretary William Hague pose for a photograph prior to their meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying... (Associated Press) 
 
 Russian solder is seen behind Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Clement, foreground, outside of a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalne, outside of Simferopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 2, 2014.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ukrainian soldiers stand guard at the gate of a military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, left, shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea... (Associated Press) 
 
 Russian solders walk as a local resident waves with Russian flag outside of a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalne, outside of Simferopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of... (Associated Press) 
 
 Pro Russian soldiers wait outside a Ukrainian military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. On the ground, pro-Russian troops held all Ukrainian border posts Monday in Crimea, as well as all military facilities and a key ferry terminal, cementing their stranglehold on the strategic Ukrainian peninsula. "This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots, ensuring human rights, especially the right to life," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Geneva, where he was attending U.N. meetings. While Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed Monday for outside help and insisted that Crimea still remained part of his country, European foreign ministers held an emergency meeting on a joint response to Russia's military move that could include economic sanctions. British Foreign Secretary William Hague called the situation Europe's most serious crisis of the still-young 21st century. He said his country was "urgently" asking for economic and political support from other countries. In the meantime, Russian forces were clearly in charge in Crimea, home to 2 million mostly Russian-speaking people and landlord for Russia's critical Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol. And U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States is examining a series of economic and diplomatic steps to "isolate Russia," and he called on Congress to work with his administration on an economic assistance package for Ukraine. Despite the assurances, stocks fell around the world, with Russian stocks leading the way as investors parsed the day's developments. Kerry will offer Ukraine a "specific" package of U.S. economic aid when he travels to Kiev for talks Tuesday, Obama said. Moscow has defended its parliament's approval of Putin's use of military force to protect its citizens in the Crimean Peninsula, an autonomous region of eastern Ukraine with strong loyalty to Russia. Faced with the Russian threat, Ukraine's new government has moved to consolidate its authority, naming new regional governors in the pro-Russia east, enlisting the support of the country's wealthy businessmen and dismissing the head of the country's navy after he declared allegiance to the pro-Russian government in Crimea.
– Russia is hitting back at earlier reports that it had issued an ultimatum to Ukraine, with RT quoting a Defense Ministry spokesman as saying it's "total nonsense." "We’re interested in keeping friendly relations with the people of Ukraine and in preserving stability," another defense source says. Interfax first published the report—which said Russia would attack if all Ukrainian forces aren't out of the Crimea region by 5am tomorrow (meaning 10pm today EST)—citing sources in Ukraine's defense ministry, according to CNN. "If they won't surrender," the report said, "there will be a military storm on all UA (Ukraine Armed) military forces." The source said Russian troops were directly demanding surrender at various military bases in Crimea. A Ukraine Defense Ministry spokesperson also told the AP that Russian ships have trapped two Ukrainian warships in Sevastapol's harbor, and are demanding their surrender. Indeed, Ukraine's prime minister says that pro-Russian troops had surrounded or taken "virtually all" of the country's military facilities. In other developments: Russia is demanding that Ukraine reinstate a unity government negotiated on Feb. 21—which would mean re-installing Viktor Yanukovich as president. The idea appears to be a non-starter with the diplomats gathered in Brussels, however. Russia plans to press ahead with plans to build a bridge linking Russia with Crimea, Dmitry Medvedev said today, following a phone call discussing the crisis with Joe Biden, Sky News reports.