Pro-Russian Forces Capture Ukraine Navy Headquarters in Sevastopol
by
Mary Chastain
19 Mar 2014, 6:47 AM PDT
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After Crimea declared independence from Ukraine on March 17, the government said
they would seize all Ukrainian property and disband the Ukrainian
military in the peninsula. They are keeping their word, as Crimean
forces took control of Ukraine’s Navy headquarters in Sevastopol on Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning, irregular local militia members
entered the naval headquarters, which was then paid a visit by the head
of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Shortly afterwards, a number of Ukrainian
soldiers walked out looking solemn, carrying their belongings in plastic
bags.
A representative of the so-called self-defence units said they had
carried out an operation to liberate soldiers held captive. "We wanted
to set free the prisoners in the base that are being illegitimately held
there by their commander," said Vladimir Melnik, who said he was the
head of a local self-defence unit. He said a criminal case would be
opened against the commander.
While Crimeans voted on Sunday, Ukraine’s government and defense
ministry said they would never leave Crimea. Kiev did not recognize the
referendum or considered the results legal. Ukraine Defense Minister
Ihor Tenyukh
was confident his soldiers could defend Crimea.
"We are seeing an increase in the number of Russian
servicemen in Crimea," he said. "And the Ukrainian armed forces are
therefore taking appropriate measures along the southern borders."
Tenyukh said every senior Ukrainian officer in Crimea "clearly knows what is to be done depending on the situation".
"Decisions will be taken depending on how events unfold. But let me
say once again that this is our land and we will not be leaving it."
The exit polls on Sunday
showed over 90% of Crimeans
voted to leave Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Crimean leaders
flew to Moscow on Monday and formally asked to join Russia, and on
Tuesday
President Vladimir Putin made it official.
Pro-Russian forces opened fire on a Ukrainian base in Simferopol only
hours later and killed one soldier. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy
Yatsenyuk
called the act a "war crime." After the soldier was confirmed to have died, Ukrainian military personnel received permission to use their weapons.
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