Ukraine has already accused Moscow of a "military invasion and occupation," after troops it described as Russian have moved outside regional parliament, airports and other key facilities in this strategic peninsula that hosts a major Russian navy base.
Upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko today said that Russia could deploy additional troops to Crimea to help protect the local population from the new Ukrainian authorities.
The statements came after Crimea's new prime minister, Sergei Aksynov, asked Russia for assistance. He was named prime minister after pro-Russia gunmen seized the regional parliament.