KIEV, Ukraine, March 13 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday seeking an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to deal with the conflict in Crimea.
"We refer to the unprovoked act of aggression against Ukraine by Russia and its attempt to annex a part of the territory of a sovereign state," the resolution, backed by 250 lawmakers, read in part.
The resolution required 224 votes to pass, and came as Crimea prepares for a referendum Sunday on whether to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.
The Parliament declared that, under a principle of self-defense acknowledged in the U.N. Charter, a country can request help from other countries to restore its territorial integrity, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti said. It added Russia, a Security Council member, would likely veto a decision to help.
The Parliament also adopted a law forming a 60,000-strong National Guard under direction of the Interior Ministry, to "act in peacetime and in emergency situations" to defend Ukraine's security, Ukrainian Radio reported Thursday.
