DHAKA: Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday voted unanimously to create a new National Guard of 60,000 volunteers who could stand up in the face of Russia’s expansionist threat.

The 262-0 vote in the Verkhovna Rada parliament came ahead of Sunday’s disputed referendum in Crimea, now under control of Russian forces, on the Black Sea peninsula’s switch to Kremlin rule.

The Straits Times publishes this report.

BDST: 1755 HRS, MAR 13, 2014