Vladimir Putin at the closing ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics (Picture: AP)Vladimir Putin basked in Olympic glory while the world waited for his next move in the Ukraine crisis.
The Russian president revelled in the spectacular closing ceremony of the winter games, where the host nation ensured national pride was maintained by finishing top of the medals table.
As fireworks exploded above the mountains at Sochi, the hardline leader's broad grin was at odds with the nervous glances cast by the rest of the world. Ukrainian activists stand on an armoured vehicle in Kiev (Picture: AFP/Getty)
He was urged not to send his tanks into crisis-torn Ukraine, where reformists are pushing to break ties with his Soviet-style authoritarian leadership.
Foreign secretary William Hague spoke of a moment of opportunity forged by the Kiev protests but struck an ominous tone, saying: 'There are still many dangers.'
Days of violent demonstrations have brought down president Viktor Yanukovych and seen the release from prison of opposition figurehead Yulia Tymoshenko. A woman lights a candle in memory of those who were killed during the recent violent protests (Picture: EPA)
Tonight up to 50,000 demonstrators continued to occupy Kiev's central Independence Square, holding memorials for dozens killed in clashes with police.
Tymoshenko supporter Oleksandr Turchinov was put in temporary charge of the country while European leaders and the US demanded Russian restraint.
But Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine's parliament of reneging on a peace deal, 'seizing power' and continuing to 'place its bets on violence'.
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