Ukraine forces prepare for war ...against their own people

Moscow has just announced that it 'respects' the will of the people expressed in yesterday's referendums:

• KREMLIN SAYS RESPECTS WILL OF THE PEOPLE EXPRESSED IN REFERENDUMS IN UKRAINE'S DONETSK AND LUHANSK REGIONS - STATEMENT
• KREMLIN SAYS OUTCOME OF REFERENDUMS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN A CIVILISED MANNER WITHOUT VIOLENCE
• KREMLIN SAYS IT CONDEMNS USE OF FORCE AGAINST CIVILIANS IN EASTERN UKRAINE AIMED AT HINDERING REFERENDUMS

The EU, in contrast, has already declared that the poll was illegal, and it won't recognize the result.

Analysts say the crisis is weighing on the stock markets today - with Russia's MICEX down 0.4% so far. The other indices are mixed:

• FTSE 100: up 18 point at 6,833
• German DAX: up 21 points at 9,602
• French CAC: down 8 point at 4,469

Mining stocks are leading the risers in London, while BSkyB (-2.5%) is the biggest faller - after confirming it is in talks to buy Sky assets in Germany and Italy