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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 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 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. | |
The Ukrainians barricaded themselves inside one of their barracks, and their commander began negotiations. | |
However, a reporter from Reuters agency could not see any signs of the gates being damaged. | |
A Ukrainian military official, Vladislav Seleznyov, said that the armed men took over the base without any shooting and that no one was injured. | |
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. | |
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 |