Eastern Ukraine Crimea and Kiev Divided - Possible Separatist Movement ? Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov has warned of the dangers of separatism following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. His comments came amid continuing opposition in Ukraine's Russian-speaking regions to the new administration in Kiev.The formation of a unity government has been delayed until Thursday. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Ukraine was not caught in a battle between East and West.Speaking in Washington after talks with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, he said: "This is not a zero-sum game, it is not West versus East, it should not be, it is not Russia or the United States or other choices. "This is about the people of Ukraine and Ukrainians making a choice about their future. We want to work with Russia, with other countries, with everybody available to make sure this is a peaceful from this day forward." Earlier there were reports that one of Mr Yanukovych's former aides, Andriy Kliuyev, had been shot and wounded.Many people, such as here in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, oppose the changes in Kiev Mr Kliuyev's car is said to have been attacked while he was travelling back to Kiev from the Crimea after tendering his resignation to the former president. A spokesman was quoted on local media as saying his life was not in danger. Mr Kliuyev, the former head of the presidential administration, is said to have left Kiev with the president when he fled the capital at the weekend.Addressing parliament, Mr Turchynov said he would meet law enforcement agencies to discuss the risk of separatism in regions with large ethnic Russian populations. Separatism was a "serious threat", he said. The delay in announcing a unity government was to allow further consultations, Mr Turchynov said, adding that "a coalition of national faith must be elected". Anyone held responsible for separatist moves should be punished, his press service quoted Mr Turchynov as saying in a later statement, Reuters news agency reports.Parliament has now voted in favour of trying Mr Yanukovych at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ex-president is accused of being behind the deaths of more than 100 protesters at the hands of the police, many of them shot by snipers.The ICC is a court of last resort, our correspondent says - it will only try a case if the country concerned is genuinely unwilling or unable to do so. In its resolution on trying Mr Yanukovych at the ICC, parliament said he had been involved in "serious crimes".MPs also want former Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko and former Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka tried. Mr Yanukovych has been missing since last week. He was last reportedly seen on Sunday in Balaklava, on the Crimean peninsula. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Russia has been vehemently opposed to the changes in Ukraine, with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev saying on Monday that those behind the new administration had conducted an "armed mutiny". Ukraine parliament, anti-government protesters, Viktor Yanukovich, clash, police, opposition leader, Ukrainian riot police, city center, crackdown, kiev, independence square, deadline expired, gunfire, grenades, open warfare, Interior Ministry , russia, EU, US, peace talks, Kyiv, germany, politics, abc news, nbc news, cbs news, cnn news, bbc news, rt news, political news, barack obama Crimea Separatist Movement Separatism At a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov warned other states against seeking "unilateral advantages" in Ukraine, but said Russia's "policy of non-intervention" would continue. "It is dangerous and counterproductive to try to force on Ukraine a choice according to the principle of either being with us or against us," he said. Mr Lavrov added that "it is in our interest for Ukraine to be part of the broad European family" but against Russia's interest to "allow the radicals and nationalists who are clearly trying to take centre stage to prevail."

• published: 26 Feb 2014
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