One day after Russia signed a treaty with authorities in Crimea, at least 200, unarmed pro-Russian self-defense forces have stormed the Ukraine Navy headquarters in that region and have taken control, raising a Russian flag over the facility.

Russian President Putin was critical of former USSR leader Nikita Khrushchev, who in 1954 who turned over control of Crimea to Ukraine., saying Crimea has always been an “inalienable” part of Russia. Putin formally moved to annex the Crimean portion of the Ukraine yestrday. That move was condemned by the west.

Service members of the Ukrainian navy did not resist the take-over and could later be seen leaving the installation. Hours later, pro-Russian forces took over a second navy installation in Crimea.

In response State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki spoke at a daily briefing said, “We strongly condemn Russia’s use of force in Crimea. The Russian military is directly responsible for any casualties that its forces – whether they be regular uniformed troops or regulars without insignias – inflict on Ukrainian military members in Crimea,”

Ukraine’s Security Chief, Anddriy Parubiy has appealed to the United Nations to declare Crimea a demilitarized zone between the Ukraine and Russia and has asked them to take measures to make sure that Russia forces leave that region.

Parubiy says that with the occupation of Crimea, Russia has raised the prospects of a military confrontation.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry has introduced visas for Russians visiting Ukraine in an effort to stave off Russians coming into the Ukraine to cause unrest prior to the presidential elections slated for May 25.

In the U.S., Republicans have called on the Obama adminstration to be tougher on Moscow in light of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, and are demanding that Russia be expelled from the Group of Eight and want military support for Ukraine. But is spite of that, Congress failed to move legislation forward authorizing sanctions against Russia last week.

Former Republican Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney was critical of President Obama over the Ukrainian crisis, saying the administration’s “failure has been painfully evident: It is hard to name even a single country that has more respect and admiration for America today than when President Obama took office, and now Russia is in Ukraine.”

Members of the G-8, it was announced by the White House, will convene at the Hague next week to discuss options on how to respond to Russia’s aggression in the Ukraine. It is expected that Russia will be expelled from the group at that time.