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| Tensions Rise in Crimean Capital as Armed Men Continue to Take Up Posts | Tensions Rise in Crimean Capital as Armed Men Continue to Take Up Posts |
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| SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine — Scores of heavily armed men, wearing green khaki with no insignia and speaking Russian, fanned out across central Simferopol on Saturday, assisted by hundreds of men gathered in small groups who officiously blocked streets and stoked tensions as local television and radio reported new unrest in Crimea and elsewhere. | SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine — Scores of heavily armed men, wearing green khaki with no insignia and speaking Russian, fanned out across central Simferopol on Saturday, assisted by hundreds of men gathered in small groups who officiously blocked streets and stoked tensions as local television and radio reported new unrest in Crimea and elsewhere. |
| In a contest of bold moves and political appeals for protection reminiscent of past ethnic conflicts in the Communist bloc — from the Balkans to the Caucasus — pro-Russian forces were also said to have taken control of a government building in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and part of its eastern region, which adjoins Russia. | |
| In Simferopol, the regional capital of Crimea, the armed men refused to talk to reporters but were overheard speaking Russian, and city residents interviewed away from the center expressed no doubt that they were Russian forces. The armed men were supported by dozens of clusters of men sporting orange and black or Russian tricolor ribbons to display their loyalty to Russia. | In Simferopol, the regional capital of Crimea, the armed men refused to talk to reporters but were overheard speaking Russian, and city residents interviewed away from the center expressed no doubt that they were Russian forces. The armed men were supported by dozens of clusters of men sporting orange and black or Russian tricolor ribbons to display their loyalty to Russia. |
| “The Russian soldiers — this is not right,” said a vendor at the central market who identified herself only as Regina, 48, an ethnic Tatar who came to Crimea, the ancient homeland of her Muslim Turkic people, in the 1990s. “We have to decide this peacefully. Who knows if they don’t start shooting? We will suffer.” | “The Russian soldiers — this is not right,” said a vendor at the central market who identified herself only as Regina, 48, an ethnic Tatar who came to Crimea, the ancient homeland of her Muslim Turkic people, in the 1990s. “We have to decide this peacefully. Who knows if they don’t start shooting? We will suffer.” |
| The Tatars were deported by Stalin in 1944 and allowed home only five decades later as Soviet rule crumbled. By and large, they support Ukrainian rather than Russian rule on a peninsula where about 60 percent of the two million people are ethnic Russian. | The Tatars were deported by Stalin in 1944 and allowed home only five decades later as Soviet rule crumbled. By and large, they support Ukrainian rather than Russian rule on a peninsula where about 60 percent of the two million people are ethnic Russian. |
| None of half a dozen people interviewed in and around the central market could recall ethnic tensions producing violence here. Another vendor, Azizia, 28, who said her husband was Russian, added that most Crimeans had no problems with one another and certainly no desire for war. | None of half a dozen people interviewed in and around the central market could recall ethnic tensions producing violence here. Another vendor, Azizia, 28, who said her husband was Russian, added that most Crimeans had no problems with one another and certainly no desire for war. |
| On Wednesday, when thousands of Russians and Tatars clashed outside the regional Parliament building, two Russians, Igor Postny, 23, and Valentina Kornyeva, 67, died in the crush. People stuffed money for the families of the dead men into a plastic box and laid flowers and candles around their portraits, as they did after scores of protesters were killed in Independence Square in Kiev, the national capital. | On Wednesday, when thousands of Russians and Tatars clashed outside the regional Parliament building, two Russians, Igor Postny, 23, and Valentina Kornyeva, 67, died in the crush. People stuffed money for the families of the dead men into a plastic box and laid flowers and candles around their portraits, as they did after scores of protesters were killed in Independence Square in Kiev, the national capital. |
| About 400 people gathered at one point, holding placards saying “Free Ukraine From U.S. Occupation” and “The U.S.A. Works With Fascism.” An old woman held up a photograph of President Obama with a red line through it and the caption “Yankee Go Home,” and led a chant to that effect. | About 400 people gathered at one point, holding placards saying “Free Ukraine From U.S. Occupation” and “The U.S.A. Works With Fascism.” An old woman held up a photograph of President Obama with a red line through it and the caption “Yankee Go Home,” and led a chant to that effect. |
| Speeches ran the gamut of emotion, railing against the new government in Kiev and its supposed American and European supporters. The crowd, whipped up, then chanted, “Glory to the Berkut,” the now-disbanded riot police who shot most of the protesters in Kiev. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged its consulate in Simferopol late Friday to issue Russian passports quickly to the Berkut. At least two members of the unit mingled with the armed men in the city center on Saturday. | Speeches ran the gamut of emotion, railing against the new government in Kiev and its supposed American and European supporters. The crowd, whipped up, then chanted, “Glory to the Berkut,” the now-disbanded riot police who shot most of the protesters in Kiev. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged its consulate in Simferopol late Friday to issue Russian passports quickly to the Berkut. At least two members of the unit mingled with the armed men in the city center on Saturday. |
| At a monument commemorating Crimea’s 18th-century union with Russia, someone had taped a poster saying, “Better With Russia Than With This Ukraine.” Near the Parliament building was another poster asserting that “Crimea Is Russia.” | At a monument commemorating Crimea’s 18th-century union with Russia, someone had taped a poster saying, “Better With Russia Than With This Ukraine.” Near the Parliament building was another poster asserting that “Crimea Is Russia.” |
| Armed guards appeared around the building on Saturday after a reported overnight gun battle, and Sergei Aksyonov, the newly installed Crimean prime minister, announced that he was taking charge of all security forces and appealed to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for help. No one in central Simferopol could recall having heard shots at night. | Armed guards appeared around the building on Saturday after a reported overnight gun battle, and Sergei Aksyonov, the newly installed Crimean prime minister, announced that he was taking charge of all security forces and appealed to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for help. No one in central Simferopol could recall having heard shots at night. |
| The appeal came after word late Friday that the Russian Parliament had begun discussing a law that would make it easier to integrate new territories into the Russian Federation. Mr. Aksyonov said a referendum on Crimea’s future allegiance would be moved forward to March 30 from the May date announced just two days earlier. | The appeal came after word late Friday that the Russian Parliament had begun discussing a law that would make it easier to integrate new territories into the Russian Federation. Mr. Aksyonov said a referendum on Crimea’s future allegiance would be moved forward to March 30 from the May date announced just two days earlier. |
| At the bustling market barely half a mile from the city center, the normal business of Saturday shopping went on uninterrupted. “It’s just a struggle for power,” said Iskander, a 58-year-old Tatar wearing their traditional beaded cap, who said he scraped by on odd jobs. God “gives us this life to test us, and you have to live in a way that is worthy,” he said. | At the bustling market barely half a mile from the city center, the normal business of Saturday shopping went on uninterrupted. “It’s just a struggle for power,” said Iskander, a 58-year-old Tatar wearing their traditional beaded cap, who said he scraped by on odd jobs. God “gives us this life to test us, and you have to live in a way that is worthy,” he said. |
| Natasha Galych, 53, who said she was born in Russia and came to Crimea as a child, glanced around warily when asked her opinion of events and the armed men in the streets. | Natasha Galych, 53, who said she was born in Russia and came to Crimea as a child, glanced around warily when asked her opinion of events and the armed men in the streets. |
| “I think everything should end peacefully,” she said, clutching a bag of mushrooms. “It was always calm here — no confrontations or war.” Now, she said, “it’s provocations — to put Russians and Tatars against each other.” Asked who was responsible, she said: “Who knows who’s doing it? Everybody has their own thing.” | “I think everything should end peacefully,” she said, clutching a bag of mushrooms. “It was always calm here — no confrontations or war.” Now, she said, “it’s provocations — to put Russians and Tatars against each other.” Asked who was responsible, she said: “Who knows who’s doing it? Everybody has their own thing.” |
| But the two Tatar women selling fruit and pickled cabbage at the market were less cautious. “Russia is especially provoking us,” Azizia said. | But the two Tatar women selling fruit and pickled cabbage at the market were less cautious. “Russia is especially provoking us,” Azizia said. |