DHAKA: The newly-chosen prime minister of the Ukrainian southern region of Crimea on Saturday called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to help restore ‘peace and calm’ to the Black Sea peninsula, amid a standoff with the new authorities in Kiev.

‘Taking into account my responsibility for the life and security of citizens, I ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to help in ensuring peace and calm on the territory of Crimea,’ Sergiy Aksyonov said in an address quoted by local media and broadcast in full by Russian state television.

Aksyonov was chosen by local lawmakers in Crimea as the region’s premier, in a move that was not approved by the new authorities in Kiev who took over after the overthrow of president Viktor Yanukovych.

He did not specify what the assistance from Putin and Russia might involve, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1603 HRS, MAR 01, 2014