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| Ukraine crisis: 'Explosions and gunfire' heard at Belbek airbase in Crimea | Ukraine crisis: 'Explosions and gunfire' heard at Belbek airbase in Crimea |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Explosions and gunfire have reportedly been heard at a besieged military airbase in Crimea, hours after Russian troops gave Ukrainian forces an ultimatum to leave. | Explosions and gunfire have reportedly been heard at a besieged military airbase in Crimea, hours after Russian troops gave Ukrainian forces an ultimatum to leave. |
| The base in Belbek had been surrounded earlier on Saturday and issued with a demand by the Russians to surrender. | The base in Belbek had been surrounded earlier on Saturday and issued with a demand by the Russians to surrender. |
| A live camera showed troops in armoured vehicles crashing through defences and soldiers storming the compound. | A live camera showed troops in armoured vehicles crashing through defences and soldiers storming the compound. |
| The feed later showed a man who appeared to be a Russian soldier climbing up and moving the camera before the picture disappeared. | The feed later showed a man who appeared to be a Russian soldier climbing up and moving the camera before the picture disappeared. |
| It is not known whether the reported shots were exchanged or if troops were firing into the air but witnesses told Sky News ambulances arrived at the scene. At least one man was thought to be injured. | It is not known whether the reported shots were exchanged or if troops were firing into the air but witnesses told Sky News ambulances arrived at the scene. At least one man was thought to be injured. |
| The Ukrainian commander of the base, Yuliy Mamchur, called his men together and they sang the Ukrainian national anthem before standing at ease. | |
| He said they were going to turn over their weapons. | |
| Before the assault, deputy commander of the base, Oleg Podovalov, said: "The Russian troops at our aerodrome gave us an hour to surrender or they will start storming. | Before the assault, deputy commander of the base, 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 on Saturday morning 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 on Saturday morning and was one of the few military facilities in the region still controlled by the country after Crimea was annexed by Russian forces. |
| Its fall marks a serious loss for the Ukrainian military, which had been battling to keep control of the peninsula. | Its fall marks a serious loss for the Ukrainian military, which had been battling to keep control of the peninsula. |
| “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. | 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. |
| Elsewhere, more than 5,000 pro-Russia residents of a major city in Ukraine's east demonstrated in favour of holding a referendum on whether to seek to split off and become part of Russia. With Crimea now effectively under the control of Russian forces, concern is rising that regions in eastern Ukraine will push for a similar move. | |
| 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 and Associated Press | |