[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.
[Victor Blackwell, Co-host:] "There will be costs." Is that a veiled threat? As the Russian army moves into Ukraine, is President Obama drawing another red line?
[Christi Paul, Co-host:] Oh, my goodness. Fire, drought, torrential rain. As the perfect storm creates catastrophic floods in California. This morning, I'm sorry to say, there's no end in sight.
[Unidentified Male:] So you told the sheriff that you were walking to Nebraska? That's right. To get my million dollars.
[Blackwell:] It's the little black-and-white film that could. "Nebraska" is up for six Academy Awards tomorrow night, including Best Picture. You'll hear from the producers about why they think it can take home an Oscar. Your NEW DAY starts now.
[Paul:] It's an early Saturday morning for you, but we're just glad we're not alone. I'm Christi Paul.
[Blackwell:] I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to have you with us. It's 6 a.m., and this is
[New Day Saturday. Announcer:] This is CNN breaking news.
[Blackwell:] Well, first thing this morning, of course, the breaking news. We want to get you caught up on all the fast-moving developments in Ukraine.
[Paul:] Yes, because there are fears of a shutdown showdown, rather, between Ukraine and Russia, and the U.S. could get caught in the middle of this whole thing. I want to show you what's happening right now as we know it. Ukraine says movements by Russian military personnel in Ukraine's southern Crimea region amount to an armed invasion. And Crimea is, their acting prime minister, meanwhile, is urging Russia to intervene here.
[Blackwell:] And Crimean television says Russian helicopters flew in the skies over Crimea yesterday. Look at this video. And mysterious guards are toting the automatic weapons you see here, suddenly appeared outside two airports in the region. President Obama is telling Moscow, pull back or face the consequences.
[Obama:] We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian federation inside of Ukraine. Russia has a historic relationship with Ukraine, including cultural and economic ties and a military facility in Crimea. But any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing.
[Paul:] There are also pictures coming in you see them here Russian tanks on the move. This is near Russia's Black Sea fleet base in Crimea. Moscow insists any troop movements are necessary for security. Now Senator John McCain says President Obama needs to take a harder line with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[Sen. John Mccain , Arizona:] It's pretty clear that maybe the president of the United States has been a bit naive about Vladimir Putin and his ambitions.
[Blackwell:] CNN's correspondents across Russia and Ukraine to bring you the very latest on this crisis. Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow.
[Paul:] Ian Lee is in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, and Diane Magnay is in Crimea there.
[Blackwell:] Let's start with Fred Pleitgen in Moscow. Fred, Crimea's acting prime minister is urging Russia to intervene, asking them to come in and help keep the peace in the region. Is this essentially carte blanche for Russian troops to move in? And how is Russia responding?
[Frederik Pleitgen, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, it certainly might be, Victor, carte blanche for them to move in. It might be part of a larger plan for Russian troops to move in, which seems to have been unfolding over the past day and a half. So the Russian foreign ministry has already responded to that request that was made by that new Crimean prime minister and said they are certainly not going to disregard that request. They haven't said yet whether or not they're going to move additional forces in there. However, as you've just said, the Ukrainians are already saying that the Russians have already moved troops in that direction. It's unclear whether or not that could amount to an invasion, whether or not that's some sort of small-scale incursion, or whether or not that is something that might pertain to a military exercise that the Russians have ongoing in that area, as well. The Russians so far, for their part, are saying that any moves by their forces on the Crimean Peninsula are in line with an agreement that they have with the Ukraine to be able to do those things, because we have to keep in mind that the Russians have a large number of military bases on that place. They have an agreement with the Ukraine to station military there. That at any time there's about 25,000 Russian forces there, including also with their families along with them, as well. So it's a very important territory to the Russians, and the Russians certainly are making no secret of the fact that it is. On the other hand, Victor, it's also very difficult to believe that what's going on in Crimea right now is not in some way, shape or form organized by some larger power. That when you look at the efficiency with which the gunmen that are operating there have been taking over those local government buildings, Victor.
[Paul:] OK, so, Fred, let me ask you, what do we know for certain about where Russian troops are in Crimea, specifically, and what are people saying about, you know, their own questions in terms of who is in control? I mean, I was reading that air space has been closed there; communications are disrupted. What do you know about that?
[Pleitgen:] Well, yes, absolutely. I mean, the air space has been closed at the main airport in Crimea, in Simferopol. There's no planes apparently going in and out. The Russians always have a large military presence in Sevastopol in on the Crimean. They have a huge naval base there. It's home to their Black Sea fleet. There's always a number of warships and nuclear submarines, as well, which I saw only a couple of days ago. But they also have other military bases that support that large naval presence. So it's an absolutely key place for the Russians. Now what the Ukrainians are saying is that the Russians are flying in ever more forces, and that's what's causing the great concern.
[Blackwell:] All right. Fred Pleitgen for us there in Moscow. Fred, thanks. We'll check back.
[Paul:] We want to head now to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, of course, and the epicenter of those anti-government and anti-Russian protests that ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. You see it's about 400 miles away from Crimea, which is the distance from New York to Pittsburgh. Just to kind of give us a good sense.
[Blackwell:] Yes. CNN's Ian Lee is there. Ian, how are people reacting to the news in Kiev of all that's happening in Crimea?
[Ian Lee, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, Victor, the prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, had a cabinet meeting today, and he said that the disproportionate number of Russian troops in the Crimea is a sheer provocation, one, that he says the Russians hope to elicit a military reaction from Ukraine in order to make the Crimea a breakaway region. Well, the prime minister said that the Russians have failed, that the Ukrainian military will not be provoked in any such way, that they're not going to engage militarily in hopes for a diplomatic solution. They believe that those avenues are still open. That they are going to try to use those, as well. But he did have some strong words for the Russians, telling them that they need to go back to their bases, that they're not welcome, they need to go home, and that Ukraine that the Crimea is Ukrainian territory, Victor.
[Paul:] All right. CNN's Ian Lee in the capital of Ukraine. Thank you so much, Ian. We appreciate it. You know, one top U.S. lawmaker called the Russian movement an aggression. Congressman Mike Rogers we're talking about, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said and I want to quote him here "It appears that the Russian military now controls the Crimean Peninsula. This aggression is a threat not only to Ukraine, but to regional peace, and stability. Russia's latest action is yet another indicator that Vladimir Putin's hegemonic ambitions threaten U.S. interests and allies around the world."
[Blackwell:] Those actions Mike Rogers spoke about, he's talking about this: armed men patrolling the streets and the airports of Crimea. We've discussed it just a bit this morning so far. You know, they're not wearing any markings to show which country they're from.
[Paul:] Mm-hmm. CNN's Diana Magnay confronted one of those troops, trying to get some answers.
[Diana Magnay, Cnn Correspondent:] Can we ask you guys where you're from?
[Magnay:] You're from Russia?
[Blackwell:] Well, Diana Magnay is in Simferopol for us now in Ukraine. Diana, has there been any confirmation as to where these troops are from?
[Magnay:] None at all, no. They are now surrounding the parliament building, which is new, in a peaceful fashion, and the people here say that they are basically doing it for the safety of the people here in this part of Crimea, who are mostly Russian. But it is the fact that their vehicles have no number plates. They have no insignia. And they seem to be a sort of controlling force, operating with a very real presence alongside pro-Russian local units, self-defense units, whatever they may be, people who are wearing a Georgian ribbon, which is a symbol of Russian military valor, and who are acting alongside these masked gunmen. Now, these reports that there are 2,000, according to U.S. security officials, Russian military operating in Crimea, now the Ukrainian government says as many as 6,000. It's very hard to give you any kind of confirmation of that on the ground. It is not as though this capital city, Simferopol where I am, is riddled with armored personnel carriers or troops going around. No. They are in very specific locations. They are acting in a fairly low-key fashion, and it is impossible to tell you exactly who they are. But it is also hard to believe that they are anything other than Russian military because of their high level of organization, their efficiency, the weapons that they carry. And it would seem as though, behind the scenes, and with the help of those gunmen, Vladimir Putin is massaging the pro-Russian forces into this country, who are now led by a new leader, who was effectively put in to place two days ago in the parliament here. He's a pro-Russian guy. And so it's all sort of consolidating the pro-Russian position in this country, ahead of a referendum, when Crimea will decide whether or not they want to stay part of Ukraine or not.
[Paul:] OK. Diana Magnay, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Now, you know, the bottom line here, too, for us is Washington doesn't have a lot of options when it comes to the crisis in Crimea.
[Blackwell:] We're going to take a look at what the White House can do and what it might not be enough.