The Wall Street Journal reports,"Russia's parliament voted unanimously on Saturday to authorize a request from President Vladimir Putin to deploy Russian troops in Ukraine, defying warnings from U.S. President Barack Obama and other Western leaders not to intervene.
Russian lawmakers also asked Mr. Putin to recall the country's ambassador to the U.S. Mr. Obama has publicly warned Russia that there would be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.
Though a major escalation in the openness of Russia's commitment, Saturday's move comes as Russian troops and their local allies have already largely taken control of Crimea, a restive province of Ukraine that belonged to Russia until 1954 and remains predominantly pro-Russian".
