As the latest talks to solve Ukraine’s crisis appeared to be headed nowhere, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on March 14 that it reserves the right to intervene in Ukraine in order to protect Russian citizens — an ominous statement that threatens a wider Kremlin military intervention beyond Russian-occupied Crimea.

The statement came after clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian demonstrators in Donetsk late on March 13 that left at least two dead and several injured. However, most eyewitnesses say that the pro-Russian side instigated the violence.