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Crimean Leader Says Ukrainian Military Units Are Surrendering Crimean Premier Says Ukrainian Military Units Have Started to Surrender
(about 7 hours later)
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine — The prime minister of Crimea, the autonomous Ukrainian republic seized by Russian military forces, said Tuesday that most Ukrainian military units on the Crimean peninsula had surrendered and had pledged allegiance to his pro-Russian government, and that local officials were working to speed up a referendum on independence. SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine — The prime minister of Crimea, the autonomous Ukrainian republic seized by Russian military forces, said Tuesday that most Ukrainian military units on the Crimean Peninsula had surrendered and pledged allegiance to his pro-Russian government, and that local officials were working to speed up a referendum on independence from Ukraine.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said that regional officials were in control of the security situation, even as standoffs continued between Russian forces and Ukrainian troops at several military installations, including a base near the airport of Belbek near Sevastopol. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said that Crimean officials were in control of the security situation, even as standoffs continued between Russian forces and Ukrainian troops at several military installations, including at a base near the Belbek airport, near Sevastopol.
“There is no safety threat to human life in Crimea,” Mr. Aksyonov said.“There is no safety threat to human life in Crimea,” Mr. Aksyonov said.
In Kiev, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry flatly denounced the assertion of defections. “This information is false,” the ministry said in a statement, adding: “All the Ukrainian military units, formations, and warships stay in their permanent locations. Ukraine’s military controls the territories of their military posts.” In Kiev, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry flatly denounced the assertion of defections. “This information is false,” the ministry said in a statement, adding: “All the Ukrainian military units, formations and warships stay in their permanent locations. Ukraine’s military controls the territories of their military posts.”
It was not possible to independently verify Mr. Aksyonov’s claims, and even he did not assert that all military units were now aligned with his administration. Yet, the Defense Ministry’s blanket denial — “all of the servicemen serve the Ukrainian people and do not even consider the proposals to defect— seemed exaggerated. It was not possible to independently verify Mr. Aksyonov’s claims, and even he did not assert that all military units were now aligned with his administration. Yet the Defense Ministry’s blanket denial — “all of the servicemen serve the Ukrainian people and do not even consider the proposals to defect” — was dubious as well.
Over the weekend, the Ukrainian navy’s chief of staff, Denis Borozovsky publicly announced his defection. Some security installations, such as outposts of the federal border police, that do not fall within the Defense Ministry, now appear to be under the control of the Crimean authorities. Over the weekend, the Ukrainian Navy’s chief of staff, Denis Berezovsky, publicly announced his defection. Some security installations, such as outposts of the federal border police, that do not fall within the Defense Ministry now appear to be under the control of the Crimean authorities.
At the same time, Ukrainian armed forces continued to face-off against the pro-Russian soldiers who have surrounded or blocked military installations throughout Crimea. Mr. Aksyonov said that he believed enough forces were loyal to him to eliminate the threat of an armed insurrection. At the same time, Ukrainian armed forces continued to face off against the pro-Russia soldiers who have surrounded or blocked military installations throughout Crimea. Mr. Aksyonov said he believed that enough soldiers were loyal to him to eliminate the threat of an armed insurrection.
Anatoly Dekusarov, 47, who was among a crowd of Simferopol residents gathered in support of the Russian soldiers, said that he felt safer having the soldiers deployed. “I am standing for my independence,” Mr. Dekusarov said. “I am standing for our freedom.” Anatoly Dekusarov, 47, who was among a crowd of Simferopol residents that gathered in support of the Russian soldiers, said he felt safer having the soldiers deployed. “I am standing for my independence,” Mr. Dekusarov said. “I am standing for our freedom.”
Mr. Dekusarov said the new interim government in Kiev, led by acting Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, was in cahoots with the United States, which he said wanted the Russian navy base in Sevastopol and other assets. “Kiev sold Ukraine to America,” Mr. Dekusarov said. “Yatsenyuk sold Crimea to Obama.” He said the interim government in Kiev, led by the acting prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, was conspiring with the United States, which he said wanted the Russian Navy base in Sevastopol and other assets. “Kiev sold Ukraine to America,” Mr. Dekusarov said. “Yatsenyuk sold Crimea to Obama.”
Mr. Aksyunov, who heads a political party called Russian Unity, was installed as the head of the Crimean regional administration last Thursday after armed men seized the parliament building and raised the Russian flag overhead. Mr. Aksyonov, who heads a political party called Russian Unity, was installed as the head of the Crimean regional administration last Thursday after armed men seized the Parliament building and raised the Russian flag.
He said that a referendum on independence from Ukraine, scheduled for March 30, would probably be held sooner, but he offered no details. He also said that he had not been in contact with Viktor F. Yanukovych, the ousted president of Ukraine, who fled to Russia but has said he plans to return. He said a referendum on independence from Ukraine, scheduled for March 30, would probably be held sooner, but he offered no details. He also said that he had not been in contact with Viktor F. Yanukovych, the ousted president of Ukraine, who fled to Russia but has said he plans to return.
Throughout the day, a long caravan of cars drove through Simferopol, many with a slogan written on their rear windshields saying, “Against the Lying Mass Media.” Supporters who cheered the caravan said the message was aimed at the Ukrainian news media in Kiev reporting on pro-Russian “extremists” in Crimea, though international journalists are also regarded warily here. Even as Mr. Aksyonov sought to press ahead with the referendum, the new government in Kiev began taking legal steps on Tuesday aimed at stopping Crimea’s push toward independence, opening yet another front in the conflict with the regional officials here. A district court in Kiev invalidated Mr. Aksyonov’s appointment as prime minister hours after receiving a request by the acting prosecutor general, Oleh Maknitskyi.
While President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, making his first public statements on the developments in Crimea, denied the involvement of Russian troops here, many of the vehicles transporting soldiers on the peninsula have Russian military license plates. And on Tuesday, a soldier at the Simferopol airport acknowledged that he was Russian, though he declined to give his name or to identify his military unit. The prosecutor’s office said the court had invalidated a vote by the Crimean Parliament last week that dismissed the regional government and installed a new council of ministers led by Mr. Aksyonov.
In recent days, soldiers wearing uniforms with no identifying insignia have taken up positions around military bases and other security installations across the peninsula, including the offices of the border police and some government buildings. They are assisted by self-defense militia groups in plain clothes wearing armbands, and often carrying Russian flags. Mr. Yatsenyuk, the acting prime minister, said the government hoped to mend Ukraine’s relationship with Russia, even as it moved to sign political and trade agreements with the European Union.
On Tuesday morning, there were plainclothes security guards controlling access to the regional administration building, as well as a group gathered near the regional Parliament in the center of the city, including Cossacks in ethnic uniforms and some older men in green camouflage, along with volunteers cooking food. “Ukraine is ready to rebuild a new style of relations with Russia, where Russia respects the sovereign right of Ukraine on its choice of foreign policy vector,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said during a briefing in Parliament.
Unofficial vehicle checkpoints have also been established throughout Crimea, often with the red, blue and white Russian flag flying over the barricades, though their purpose was not clear. The people operating the checkpoints say they are providing security. The Kremlin, however, is unlikely to accept Ukraine’s moving closer to Europe, in part because of concerns that the country would eventually join NATO. Underscoring the role of the alliance, the government of Turkey, a NATO member, said Tuesday that it had sent eight F-16 fighter jets in response to a Russian surveillance plane that was flying along the Black Sea coast. Turkey is just across the Black Sea from Crimea.
At a base near the Belbek airport, several hundred Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces were in a standoff on Tuesday that had begun overnight. Although the Russian forces fired several warning shots, the dispute ended with no violence or injuries, and some of the Ukrainian soldiers were able to take up their normal positions, manning guard-posts at the airfield. In Crimea, a long caravan of cars drove through Simferopol throughout Tuesday, many with a slogan written on their rear windshields saying, “Against the Lying Mass Media.” Supporters who cheered the caravan said the message was aimed at the Ukrainian news media in Kiev that was reporting on so-called pro-Russia extremists in Crimea.
Meanwhile, at a port in Sevastopol’s North Bay, two Ukrainian naval vessels, the Slavutych and the Ternipol, were being blockaded by Russian ships. While President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, making his first public statements on the developments in Crimea, denied the involvement of Russian troops here, many of the vehicles transporting soldiers on the peninsula have Russian military license plates. Unofficial vehicle checkpoints have also been established throughout Crimea, often with the red, blue and white Russian flag flying over the barricades, though their purpose was not clear. The people operating the checkpoints say they are providing security.
Crimea is heavily pro-Russian, and has close cultural ties to Russia. It has enjoyed a large degree of autonomy since shortly after Ukraine gained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most people in the peninsula identify themselves as ethnically Russian, with ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars the largest minority groups. At a base near the Belbek airport, several hundred Ukrainian and pro-Russia forces were in a standoff on Tuesday that had begun overnight. Although the Russian forces fired warning shots, the dispute ended with no violence or injuries, and some of the Ukrainians were able to take up their positions, staffing guard posts at the airfield.
Mr. Aksyonov, at his news conference, said the threat from the new government and its supporters in Kiev was real. “Only the blind do not see that we were threatened during the three months of conflict in Maidan,” he said, referring to Independence Square, the main protest site in Kiev. “Russians were regularly threatened with physical harm.”