DHAKA: The US has called for all sides to "step back and avoid any kind of provocations" amid heightened tensions in Ukraine`s Crimea region.
Secretary of State John Kerry said he had spoken to his Russian counterpart who promised to respect Ukraine`s "territorial integrity".
But he warned Moscow needed to back up its words with actions.
Earlier, pro-Russian armed men stormed Crimea`s local parliament, while Russia has been conducting military exercises, BBC reported.
The ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych - on the run since he was voted out of office last week - also reportedly surfaced in Russia.
It feels as though President Putin has thrown down a gauntlet to the new government in Kiev.
Perhaps scrambling Russian fighter jets, granting asylum to Viktor Yanukovych or tacitly backing the takeover by local Russians of Crimean government buildings do not appear to be connected.
But taken together, these events seem to add up to a message that Russia has the power to make life difficult for the victors in Kiev and is not prepared to be taken for granted.
What Russia says it wants, however, seems quite unrealistic. Its foreign ministry argued that the best way out of Ukraine`s crisis and the Crimean stand-off would be to go back to the compromise agreement signed last week.
But that would seem to mean President Yanukovych returning to power.
Russia also wants reforms to suit all regions of the country, including - presumably - that referendum on Crimean autonomy.
Russia says it wants to keep Ukraine united, is prepared to collaborate and won`t intervene militarily.
But how far is it prepared to ratchet up the confrontation if the new government in Kiev, or the West, object to its proposals?
US urges Russia restraint on Ukraine
Ukrainian media said he arrived in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don early on Friday, where he is due to give a news conference.
In statement on Thursday he said he still considered himself the legitimate president.
A new interim government - including Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk - was approved by parliament earlier on Thursday.
BDST: 0952 HRS, FEB 28, 2014
