Russians seize one of last Ukrainian bases in Crimea
Russian forces seized control of a naval base in Crimea’s port city of Feodosia early on Monday. The base had been one of the last in the region to be still under the Ukrainian government’s control.
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The Russian flag is now flying over 189 defence sites in Crimea, according to Russian defence authorities.
At Feodosia, Russian soldiers used stun guns, firing their weapons as they charged into the compound. Ukrainian flags flying over the base were removed.
US President Barack Obama arrived in the Netherlands for a G7 summit at The Hague on Monday, where he is expected to discuss a collective response to Crimea’s crisis with other world leaders.
Obama called the emergency talks, which will take place on the sidelines of a summit on nuclear security, to deliberate which steps to take against Russia as it moves to strengthen its hold over the Crimean Peninsula.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
“The interior of the compound is full of Russian troops,” said Vladislav Seleznyov, a Ukrainian military spokesman in Crimea. He said all Ukrainian officers were being taken away for questioning at another location in the city.
Russian forces had already captured part of the Feodosia base, used by the 1st Separate Marine Battalion, Ukraine’s top military unit, earlier this month. But until Monday, Ukrainian forces looked to still be in control of the armoury, the barracks and other facilities.
The incident comes just 48 hours after Russian forces used similar tactics to overrun Ukraine’s Belbek airbase in Crimea. In recent days Ukrainian troops in Crimea abandoned a separate naval base after it was attacked by pro-Russian demonstrators. They also surrendered two flagship vessels to Russian forces.
Russia formally annexed Crimea on March 21, less than a week after the region voted overwhelmingly to become part of the Russian Federation in a referendum that the West sees as illegal.
In response, the United States and the European Union introduced sanctions targeting some of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest political and business allies. Unfazed, Russia has since moved to consolidate its power over Crimea.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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