Usupashvili hopes Ukraine won’t share Georgia’s fate

Russia is carrying out military operations to provoke sovereignty of Ukraine by violating principles of international law, says Georgian's Parliament Speaker.

In a statement today, David Usupashvili said Russia had violated international principals in regards to the situation in Ukraine.

"Today, the democratic world received another challenge from Russia. By violating basic principles of international law, Russia is carrying out a military operation on the sovereign territory of Ukraine.

"I hope the United States of America, the European Union and the whole democratic world will manage to do what failed to be done in Georgia in August 2008, and won’t allow Russian aggression against its neighbouring country," he said.

"I am confident that in this difficult moment all Georgian political parties and political leaders will act in accordance with the country’s vital interests and will do everything to support the Ukrainian people and ensure the security of our country,” Usupashvili's statement read.

Russia's upper house of Parliament today approved sending Russian military forces into Ukraine's Crimea region, where tension has spiked.

Russian President Vladimer Putin said armed forces were needed in the southeastern region of Crimea to protect its majority ethnic Russian population and Russian military personnel.