Troops under Russian command fire weapons into the air and scream orders to turn back at an approaching group of over 100 unarmed Ukrainian troops at the Belbek air base, which the Russian troops are occupying, in Crimea. Getty Images Col. Yuli Mamchor (left), commander of the Ukrainian military garrison, leads his unarmed troops to retake the Belbek airfield from soldiers under Russian command in Crimea. Getty Images A Russian soldier on patrol passes by a child playing with his mother in front of an infantry base in Ukraine. AP Photo Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko (left) greets US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland during a meeting in Kiev. Reuters A Ukrainian soldier kisses a woman as Russian soldiers surround a Ukrainian military base. AP Photo US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Kiev on Tuesday for talks with Ukraine's new interim government, amid an escalating crisis in Crimea. Getty Images Kerry greets a Ukrainian man as he visits the Shrine of the Fallen in Kiev. The shrine honors the "Heavenly Hundred" killed by police. Reuters Kerry meets with clergymen at the Shrine of the Fallen. Reuters Kerry lights a candle and lays roses atop the Shrine of the Fallen. Reuters Kerry stands beside a barricade at the Shrine of the Fallen. Reuters Kerry meets with Ukraine's Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov (left) and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (right) at the Rada in Kiev. The Obama administration seeks to devise a diplomatic and economic strategy to reverse Russia's attack on Ukraine's Crimea region. Reuters Ad Up Next Close Hudes' Iraqi vet trilogy ends with 'Happiest Song' “The Happiest Song Plays Last” is the kind of show... 11 View Slideshow Back Continue Share this: Facebook

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WASHINGTON – Russian President Vladimir Putin blasted the West Tuesday for backing what he termed an “unconstitutional coup” in Ukraine and said Russia reserves the right to use force in the tense region — but hopes it won’t have to.

“We aren’t going to fight the Ukrainian people,” Putin said in a defiant press conference in Moscow.

He added that Russia has no intention of annexing the strategic Crimea peninsula as the Kremlin said Putin had ordered tens of thousands of Russian troops, who had been conducting military exercises on the Ukrainian border, to pull back.

President Obama said today that Vladimir Putin is not “fooling anybody” after the Russian president blasted the West for supporting what he called an “unconstitutional coup” in Ukraine.

“President Putin seems to have a different set of lawyers making a different set of interpretations,” Obama said. “But I don’t think that’s fooling anybody.” Obama said he held a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday morning, his second such session in two days about Ukraine.

Obama, who has drawn fire from Republicans for his handling of Ukraine, rejected suggestions that the Russian move was a clear strategic step.

“I actually think that this has not been a sign of strength but rather a reflection that countries near Russia have deep concerns and suspicions about this kind of meddling and if anything will push some countries further away from Russia,” he said.

Some analysts interpreted his rambling comments as a walk back from the brink, and financial markets in Russia and the U.S. rebounded after a stark sell-off Monday.

A new video provided an indication how tense things had become, showing uniformed Ukrainian troops bearing a flag and marching in protest towards Russian troops.

The Russians are seen in the video firing multiple rounds into the air to intimidate the Ukrainians to back off. A verbal argument ensued.

Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Kiev Tuesday to bolster the new government and hit back at what he called a “Russian government that has chosen aggression and intimidation as a first resort.”

He labeled Putin’s regime a “Russian government out of excuses, hiding its hand behind falsehoods, intimidation, and provocations.”

“It was (ousted Ukrainian president Viktor) Yanukovich who when history came calling … fled into the night with his possessions, destroying papers behind him. He abandoned his people and

eventually his country.”

Meanwhile, Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said Tuesday that a referendum on Crimean independence from Ukraine, already scheduled for March 30, would probably get

moved up.

Russian-speakers make up a large majority of the population of the region, where Russia bases its Black Sea fleet.

Aksyonov said a majority of Ukrainian units had surrendered to the government, which is allied with Moscow.

In his press conference, Putin even implausibly denied that Russia had sent in troops to Crimea – as a tense standoff between Russian-speaking troops and Ukrainian forces continued.

“Look at former Soviet republics,” Putin told reporters Tuesday, speaking from his country house. “You can go to a store and buy a uniform. Were these Russian soldiers? No, they’re very well-trained self-defense forces,” he claimed.

Ukrainian officials say 16,000 Russian troops in uniforms without insignia streamed into Crimea, in an invasion that gave Russia full operational control of the Crimean peninsula Saturday — alarming western powers while rattling financial markets.

Russian-allied troops fired warning shots off protesting Ukrainian troops Tuesday as the military standoff continued.

Putin called the events that led Yanukovich to flee to Russia an “unconstitutional coup” and an “armed seizure of power.”

Putin mocked the U.S. – which has condemned the brazen invasion — “as if they were sitting in a laboratory and running experiments on rats, without any understanding of the consequences.” But he also also said there was “no need yet” for Russia to use its authority further.

The Treasury Department announced a new $1 billion package of loan guarantees designed to bolster the Ukrainians. The money was earmarked for energy aid to help the Ukrainian people, along with elections and market assistance.

Ukraine’s finance minister says the country needs $35 billion to get through next year. Russia yesterday cut off energy subsidies to Ukraine.

The U.S. and the European Union continue to negotiate over sanctions that would be targeted at Russian officials, putting additional pressure on Moscow to relent.

NATO and Russia agreed to talks on Wednesday to discuss the tense situation in Ukraine.