Ukraine crisis: Follow the story in pictures

Russia surrounds military bases in Crimea

Russian military forces engagein a standoff with Ukrainian soldiers in the autonomous Crimean Peninsula, with the Russians overtaking key military installations. The Ukrainian republic is predominantly Russian-speaking.

Key players in the Ukraine crisis

As the Ukrainian crisis escalates, Viktor Yanukovych, the country's ousted former leader, accuses the West of fuelling a coup. Russian President Vladimir Putin backs those claims and denieshe hasdeployed Russian troops to Crimea. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warns Moscow not to intervene militarily in Ukraine, or face economic and political isolation.

Russian military masses in Crimea, Ukraine

Violence erupts as pro-Russian activists clash with supporters of Kyiv's new pro-European Union government. People backing the Kremlin carry Russian tri-colour flags to rallies in the Crimean capital of Simferopol.

Ukraine protests: Yanukovych ousted, Tymoshenko released

In the lead-up to the latest situation in Crimea that has drawn in Russia and the U.S., blood is spilledin February in Kiev's Maidanafter snipers fire live ammunition into crowds of anti-Yanukovych protesters. The former Ukrainian leader goes into hiding and opposition figure Yulia Tymoshenko is released from prison.