Russia revokes "right to intervene in Ukraine"

Russia revokes "right to intervene in Ukraine"

MOSCOW -- The Russian Federation Council has revoked its resolution adopted in March allowing the use of the Russian army in Ukraine.

The decision was taken "one vote short from unanimously," Itar-Tass reported, and is already in effect.

The vote came a day after President Vladimir Putin "proposed to the Council to cancel the March 1 resolution over possible use of Russian military forces in Ukraine."

The resolution granted Putin the right “to use Russian military forces in Ukraine to improve public and political situation in that country."

Speaking on Wednesday, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the news agency: "This decision was taken over the start of three-party talks on settlement of the situation in east Ukraine."

In Kiev, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin welcomed the result of the vote but stressed that Russia must now take "more positive steps," including support for "a comprehensive peace plan, and of course, more efficient border control."

According to the AFP, he also said that Ukraine would not abandoned the "unilateral ceasefire" despite the fact a military helicopter was shot down in Slavyansk on Tuesday, "for which pro-Russian forces are held responsible."