Armed men patrol outside the Simferopol International Airport in Ukraine's Crimea region on Friday, February 28. The gunmen, whom Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov called part of an "armed invasion" by Russian forces, appeared around the airport without identifying themselves. Crimea is an autonomous republic of Ukraine with an ethnic Russian majority. It's the last large bastion of opposition to Ukraine's new political leadership after President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster. 
An image provided to CNN by a local resident shows Russian tanks on the move in Sevastopol, Ukraine. 
Russian troops block a road February 28 toward the military airport in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on the Black Sea coast. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is based at the port city of Sevastopol. Ukraine suspects Russia of fomenting tension in the autonomous region of Crimea, which might escalate into a bid for separation by its Russian majority. 
Armed men stand guard in front of a building near the Simferopol airport on February 28. Simferopol is the regional capital of Ukraine's Crimea. 
An armed man wearing no identifying military insignia patrols outside Simferopol International Airport on February 28. 
Police stand guard outside the Crimea regional parliament building in Simferopol on Thursday, February 27. Armed men seized the regional government administration building and parliament in Crimea. 
Police intervene as Russian supporters gather in front of the parliament building in Simferopol on February 27. 
A man adds fuel to a fire at a barricade on Kiev's Independence Square on February 27. Dozens of people were killed last week during clashes between security forces and protesters. 
Pro-Russia demonstrators wave Russian and Crimean flags in front of a local government building in Simferopol on February 27. 
Barricades in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 27 hold a banner that reads: "Crimea Russia." There's a broad divide between those who support the pro-Western developments in Kiev and those who back Russia's continued influence in Crimea and across Ukraine. 
Protesters stand in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 27. Tensions have simmered in the Crimea region since the Ukraine president's ouster. 
Protesters in support of the president's ouster rally in Kiev's Independence Square, which has been the center of opposition, on Wednesday, February 26. 
Security forces stand guard during clashes between opposing sides in front of Crimea's parliament building in Simferopol on February 26. 
Pro-Russian demonstrators, right, clash with anti-Russian protesters in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 26. 
A police officer gets pulled into a crowd of Crimean Tatars in Simferopol on February 26. The Tatars, an ethnic minority group deported during the Stalin era, is rallying in support of Ukraine's interim government. 
A man places flowers at a barricade near Kiev's Independence Square on February 26. 
A woman holds a photograph of a protester killed during the height of tensions on February 26 in Kiev. 
Police guard a government building in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on February 26. 
Protesters remove a fence that surrounds Ukraine's parliament in Kiev on February 26. 
People sing the Ukrainian national anthem at Kiev's Independence Square on Monday, February 24. 
Gas masks used by protesters sit next to a barricade in Independence Square on February 24. 
A woman cries February 24 near a memorial for the people killed in Kiev. 
People wave a large Ukrainian flag in Independence Square on Sunday, February 23. 
Two pro-government supporters are made to pray February 23 in front of a shrine to dead anti-government protesters. 
A man and his daughter lay flowers at a memorial for protesters killed in Independence Square. 
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko speaks at Independence Square on Saturday, February 22, hours after being released from prison. Tymoshenko, considered a hero of a 2004 revolution against Yanukovych, was released after 2½ years behind bars. 
Tymoshenko is greeted by supporters shortly after being freed from prison in Kharkiv on February 22. 
A protester guards the entrance to Yanukovych's abandoned residence outside Kiev on February 22. 
Anti-government protesters guard the streets next to the presidential offices in Kiev on February 22. 
Anti-government protesters drive a military vehicle in Independence Square on February 22. Many protesters said they wouldn't leave the square until Yanukovych resigned. 
Ukrainian lawmakers argue during a session of Parliament on Friday, February 21. 
Men in Kiev carry a casket containing the body of a protester killed in clashes with police. 
Protesters cheer after news of an agreement between the opposing sides in Kiev on February 21.
- Crimean premier says he's asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for help
- Russia says it "will not disregard" the Crimean leader's appeal for assistance
- Ukraine's government fears Russia is fomenting separatist tensions in the region
- President Barack Obama warns Russia to pull back from the region or face consequences
Have you witnessed the crisis in Ukraine, particularly in Crimea? Share your experiences, but please stay safe.
Simferopol, Ukraine (CNN) -- The new pro-Russian leader of Ukraine's southern Crimea region said Saturday he had taken temporary control of its security apparatus and asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for help in maintaining peace.
Sergey Aksyonov, who was installed as the region's premier Thursday after armed men took over the Crimean parliament building, said security forces currently "are unable to efficiently control the situation in the republic," speaking on Russian state broadcaster Russia 24.
Consequently, he said, he was taking charge. "All commanders shall follow only my orders and instructions, and I ask those who disagree to retire from service," he said.
"I am appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide assistance in ensuring peace and accord on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea."
Who's controlling Ukraine? 
Ukraine Amb.: Can resolve our own issues A Kremlin spokesman said Russia "will not disregard" Aksyonov's request for help "in maintaining peace and accord in Crimea."
The latest development comes as the newly appointed interim government in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, seeks to prevent tensions in Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula with a majority-Russian population, escalating into a full-blown bid for separation.
Ukraine suspects Russia of fomenting separatist tensions in the autonomous region.
The crisis in Crimea has echoed round the world, with the U.N. Security Council president holding a private meeting about the crisis enveloping Ukraine on Friday and world leaders calling on armed groups not to attempt to challenge Ukrainian sovereignty.
Airspace closed
Ukraine on Friday accused Russian Black Sea forces of trying to seize two airports in Crimea but said Ukrainian security forces prevented them from taking control.
Mysterious groups of armed men, dressed in uniforms without identifying insignia, patrolled the airports in the regional capital, Simferopol, and the nearby port city of Sevastopol, where Russia has a major military base for its Black Sea fleet.
Initially operations were not affected but later in the day the airspace above the Crimea was closed. The armed men remained at the airports Saturday.
Yevgey Plaksin, director of the airport in the regional capital, Simferopol, said Crimean airspace would remain closed until Saturday evening local time.
Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaliy Churkin, compared the reports of Russian troops taking charge of positions on the ground to rumors that "are always not true."
Masked gunmen occupy Crimea 
Ukranian airspace shut down amid crisis "We are acting within the framework of our agreement," he said.
Obama: Warning to Russia
The United States urged Russia on Friday to pull back from the region or face possible consequences.
"We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside Ukraine," U.S. President Barack Obama said in televised comments from the White House.
"...It would be a clear violation of Russia's commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty and borders of Ukraine and of international laws."
Obama said any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be "deeply destabilizing, and he warned "the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."
The country, which is sandwiched between Europe and Russia's western border, has been plunged into chaos since the ouster a week ago of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
He resurfaced Friday in the southwestern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, where he said he had not been overthrown and vowed to fight on for Ukraine's future.
Read Obama's full statement
CNN's Victoria Eastwood and Diana Magnay reported from Simferopol, Ukraine, Ingrid Formanek from Kiev, while Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Alla Eshchenko, Arkady Irshenko and journalist Azad Safarov contributed to this report.
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