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| Ukraine crisis: Russian troops surround airbase in Crimea with surrender ultimatum | Ukraine crisis: Russian troops surround airbase in Crimea with surrender ultimatum |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russian troops have reportedly surrounded a Ukrainian military airbase in Crimea, demanding the forces inside surrender. | |
| The deputy commander of the base in Belbek, Oleg Podovalov, said: "The Russian troops at our aerodrome gave us an hour to surrender or they will start storming. | The deputy commander of the base in Belbek, Oleg Podovalov, said: "The Russian troops at our aerodrome gave us an hour to surrender or they will start storming. |
| “We are going nowhere, let's see what this storming is." | “We are going nowhere, let's see what this storming is." |
| The base, near Sevastopol, was still flying the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and was one of the few military facilities in the region still controlled by the country after Crimea was annexed by Russian forces. | The base, near Sevastopol, was still flying the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and was one of the few military facilities in the region still controlled by the country after Crimea was annexed by Russian forces. |
| Although the ultimatum was due to expire at 12.30pm GMT, there have not yet been reports of Russian troops moving in. | Although the ultimatum was due to expire at 12.30pm GMT, there have not yet been reports of Russian troops moving in. |
| “We have sworn an oath to the state of Ukraine and we must abide by that and bear the continuous pressure which has been put on us. We have to be constantly ready for attack,” he added. | “We have sworn an oath to the state of Ukraine and we must abide by that and bear the continuous pressure which has been put on us. We have to be constantly ready for attack,” he added. |
| “Our men are not combat troops, we specialise in aviation. The Russians are here with infantry, armour, spetznatz [special forces]." | “Our men are not combat troops, we specialise in aviation. The Russians are here with infantry, armour, spetznatz [special forces]." |
| Many pilots and military staff have already left Belbek, walking out on Friday carrying their belongings in bags and plastic sacks. | Many pilots and military staff have already left Belbek, walking out on Friday carrying their belongings in bags and plastic sacks. |
| Ukrainian pilots carry their belongings as they leave the Belbek air force base not far from the city of Sevastopol, in Crimea, on March 21 The Russian takeover of the Black Sea peninsula has been largely bloodless, though one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others wounded in a shooting in Simferopol earlier this week. | Ukrainian pilots carry their belongings as they leave the Belbek air force base not far from the city of Sevastopol, in Crimea, on March 21 The Russian takeover of the Black Sea peninsula has been largely bloodless, though one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others wounded in a shooting in Simferopol earlier this week. |
| Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Friday Crimea's bases were still formally under Ukrainian control, but most are now occupied by Russian troops and fly Russia's tricolour flag. | Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Friday Crimea's bases were still formally under Ukrainian control, but most are now occupied by Russian troops and fly Russia's tricolour flag. |
| Several hundred pro-Russian protesters attacked a base at Novofedorivka, which is now under almost complete control of Russian forces on Saturday, the BBC reported. | |
| Moscow formally sealed Crimea's annexation on Friday, less than a week after a referendum that overwhelmingly voted to join Russia. International observers have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the result. | Moscow formally sealed Crimea's annexation on Friday, less than a week after a referendum that overwhelmingly voted to join Russia. International observers have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the result. |
| Additional reporting by Reuters | Additional reporting by Reuters |