Putin gets parliament's nod for armed forces in Ukraine

Russian Federal Council, or upper house of the parliament, Saturday approved President Vladimir Putin's request for using armed forces in Ukraine.

After the approval, Putin, as the commander-in-chief, could decide the number of troops and their armaments that were to be deployed in Ukraine, Xinhua quoted Vladimir Ozerov, chairman of the Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee, as saying.

The Kremlin said Putin made the request "in connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, and the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed in the territory of Ukraine ( Autonomous Republic of Crimea)".

The troops would be used until the "political-social situation in the country is normalised", said the Kremlin.

Federal Council chairperson Valentina Matvienko has also instructed a committee to draft an appeal to Putin to recall the Russian ambassador from the US.

Putin has not yet decided on that proposal, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.