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Ukraine latest: Armed men seize defence post in the Crimean city of Sevastopol Ukraine latest: Armed men seize defence post in the Crimean city of Sevastopol
(35 minutes later)
Armed men thought to be Russians drove a truck into a Ukrainian missile defence post in the Crimea region on Friday and took control without a shot being fired, reporters on the scene said. Armed men thought to be Russians have reportedly seized a Ukrainian military base in the Crimea on Friday, but no shots were fired according to reporters on the scene.
Initial reports said the truck had smashed through the gates and that post in the city of Sevastopol was being stormed but the reporter could not see any signs of the gates being damaged. Initial reports state that 20 men smashed through the gates of the missile defence in the city of Sevastopol post using a truck, where 100 Ukrainian troops are stationed, according to the Interfax news agency.
A Ukrainian military official, Vladislav Seleznyov, said by telephone that the armed men took over the base without any shooting and that no one was hurt. The Ukrainians barricaded themselves inside one of their barracks, and their commander began negotiations.
Another Ukrainian official told Reuters at the post that he was now mediating between the Ukrainian forces and the armed group inside, and that no arms had been seized. However, a reporter from Reuters agency could not see any signs of the gates being damaged.
The reports after the strategic peninsula became the flashpoint in the battle for Ukraine, where three months of protests sent President Viktor Yanukovych fleeing to Russia. A Ukrainian military official, Vladislav Seleznyov, said that the armed men took over the base without any shooting and that no one was injured.
Moscow calls the new Ukrainian government illegitimate, and has seized control of Crimea, where it has a major naval base on the Black Sea. The post was being mediated between the Ukrainian forces and the armed group inside, and that no arms had been seized, according to another Ukrainian official who spoke to Reuters.
Reuters The reports come amid the worst diplomatic crisis in Europe since the Cold War, in which the peninsula has become a strategic flashpoint between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine currently maintains the Crimea as its own however a referendum on whether it should join Russia on 16 March could change this.
Additional reporting by Reuters