Russia expands sanctions against the West - reports

Russia has retaliated against expanded sanctions imposed by Western states over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region,  state-run news agencies cited the Foreign Ministry as saying on Friday.
   
The United States and European Union have imposed visa bans and asset freezes on several Russian officials and lawmakers in an effort to punish Moscow for what Western governments say is the illegal seizure of Crimea, warning President Vladimir Putin against aggressive actions.

Moscow faces growing threats from the United States and its allies, who are trying to weaken Russia's influence on Ukraine, a senior security official was quoted earlier as telling President Vladimir Putin.
   
"There has been a sharp increase in external threats to the state. The lawful desire of the peoples of Crimea and eastern  Ukrainian regions is causing hysteria in the United States ad its allies," Interfax quoted Alexander Malevany, deputy head of the Federal Security Service, as saying.
   
He said Russia was taking "offensive counterintelligence and intelligence measures" to blunt Western efforts to "weaken Russian influence in a region that is of vital importance to (Moscow)," Interfax reported.

This comes after Ukraine's deposed president, Viktor Yanukovich, called for each of the country's regions to hold a referendum on its status "within Ukraine", Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported.    

"As a president who is with you with all my thoughts and soul, I urge every sensible citizen of Ukraine: Don't give in to impostors! Demand a referendum on the status of each region within Ukraine," Yanukovich was quoted as saying in an address to the people of Ukraine. He fled to Russia last month. 

IMF:

The International Monetary Fund and Ukraine are discussing  disbursement of $3 billion in the first tranche of a $14-18 billion bailout package, Ukraine's finance minister said on Friday.
   
"They (the IMF) are ready today to talk about (disbursing) a first tranche of $3 billion, of which half will go to the National Bank and half to the state budget," the minister, Oleksander Shlapak, told journalists on the margins of a government meeting.

China:

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a visit to Berlin on Friday  his country has no private agenda in the Ukraine crisis and hoped it would be resolved by political and diplomatic means.
   
"China does not have any private interests in the Ukraine question," Xi told a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "All parties involved should work for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict."
   
In an U.N. Security Council vote earlier this month on a draft resolution to condemn a Moscow-backed referendum in Crimea, paving the way for the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula to Russia, China's abstention isolated Russia.
   
"If I were Russia I would not be satisfied with the number of votes in favor of Russia," said Merkel.
 

REUTERS