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Russian Forces Take Over One of the Last Ukrainian Bases in Crimea Russian Forces Take Over One of the Last Ukrainian Bases in Crimea
(about 3 hours later)
BELBEK, Crimea — Russian forces pushed Saturday to complete their expulsion of the Ukrainian military from the disputed Crimean Peninsula, smashing through the gates of a base here with armored vehicles, firing weapons into the air and demanding that the cornered Ukrainian soldiers surrender.BELBEK, Crimea — Russian forces pushed Saturday to complete their expulsion of the Ukrainian military from the disputed Crimean Peninsula, smashing through the gates of a base here with armored vehicles, firing weapons into the air and demanding that the cornered Ukrainian soldiers surrender.
The military operation at the base — one of the Ukrainian military’s last strongholds on the peninsula — was larger and more dramatic than at other installations where Ukrainian forces have capitulated steadily in recent days as Russia declared its formal annexation of the region. By evening, Russian forces were fully in control, and most of the Ukrainian troops were dispatched to their barracks and homes to pack. The operation to seize the base — one of the Ukrainian military’s last strongholds on the peninsula — was larger and more dramatic than at other installations where Ukrainian forces have capitulated steadily in recent days as Russia declared its formal annexation of the region.
The takeover came as Russia appeared to try to assuage international worries that its incursion into Ukraine would expand beyond Crimea, by agreeing to the deployment of a team of international monitors to places in Ukraine outside the peninsula. The fears of further seizures of territory had risen Friday as Russian troops massed along the border with eastern Ukraine, and the United States had issued a stern warning against further incursions. By evening, Russian forces were fully in control of the base here, and most of the Ukrainian troops were dispatched to their barracks and homes to pack.
The agreement to send monitors by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, however, pointedly excluded Crimea, drawing condemnation in the West. The takeover came as Russia seemed to try to assure the West that its incursion into Ukraine would not expand beyond Crimea. The Kremlin agreed to allow a team of international monitors to work elsewhere in Ukraine. Fears of a further invasion had increased on Friday as Russian troops massed along Ukraine’s eastern border, and the United States issued a stern warning in response.
A statement from Russia, a member of the organization, said that excluding Crimea “reflects the new political-legal realities” because it has “become part of Russia.” The first civilian observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a group that includes Russia, were expected to arrive by Saturday night, according to a spokeswoman. The agreement established the monitoring mission for six months, saying it could grow to 500 members if needed.
Germany, however, moved swiftly to dispel the idea that a vote allowing the international mission to operate only outside the peninsula constituted recognition for Crimea’s annexation. “The O.S.C.E. is expressly not casting into doubt the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Reuters quoted a government spokesperson as saying. While mostly welcomed by the West, the agreement to send monitors pointedly excluded Crimea, drawing condemnation from some countries.
The military operations on Saturday seemed to add an exclamation mark to Russia’s stance, as its forces and loosely organized local militias sought to complete their ousting of Ukrainian military personnel. The Kremlin has invited Ukrainian service members to join the Russian military with no change in rank and potentially increased pay, but many have declined. A statement from Russia said that excluding Crimea “reflects the new political-legal realities” because it has “become part of Russia.”
A spokesman for the Ukrainian military in Crimea said Russian troops had also taken a base on Saturday at Novofyodorovka, northwest of Simferopol, the regional capital. The rollback of Ukrainian forces began in earnest on Wednesday, after the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Kiev said it had drawn up plans to evacuate its military personnel, effectively announcing a surrender and yielding to the reality of the Russian occupation that began late last month. Germany, however, moved swiftly to dispel the idea that the exclusion of Crimea constituted any recognition of the peninsula’s annexation. “The O.S.C.E. is expressly not casting into doubt the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” a government spokesman said, according to Reuters.
But Belbek was something of a holdout. The military operations on Saturday — including the reported takeover of another base at Novofyodorovka — seemed to add an exclamation mark to Russia’s stance that the facts were settled, as its forces and loosely organized local militias moved to finish the ousting of Ukrainian military personnel from Crimea. The Kremlin has invited Ukrainian service members, who once numbered in the thousands, to join the Russian military with no change in rank and potentially increased pay, but many have declined.
The pace of surrender by Ukrainian forces had begun accelerating on Wednesday, after the Defense Ministry in Kiev said it had drawn up plans to evacuate its military personnel, effectively yielding to the reality of the Russian occupation that began late last month.
Belbek, where Ukrainian troops had held their ground against threats earlier in the Russian occupation, was something of a holdout.
In interviews before the takeover Saturday, soldiers expressed frustration with the lack of help from the their government in Kiev. Some troops said they were defending the base as a matter of honor, having sworn to serve the people and government of Ukraine.In interviews before the takeover Saturday, soldiers expressed frustration with the lack of help from the their government in Kiev. Some troops said they were defending the base as a matter of honor, having sworn to serve the people and government of Ukraine.
“I took an oath,” said one commander, adding that he felt no personal antipathy toward Russia or Russians.“I took an oath,” said one commander, adding that he felt no personal antipathy toward Russia or Russians.
The sense of abandonment here, however, was as palpable at other bases where soldiers and marines began to pack up their belongings last week, accepting that their cause was lost. “It’s not just a gap between us, it’s a gulf,” said Lyudmila, an officer at a base in Yevpatoriya, who declined to give her surname. “They don’t value our patriotism. They have done nothing to protect us, they only talk.” The sense of abandonment was echoed at other bases where soldiers and marines began to pack up their belongings last week, accepting that their cause was lost.
As the crisis played out during the week, communication between the military here in Crimea and superiors in Kiev has appeared strained. The head spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in Crimea, Vladislav Seleznev, often had to inform his counterparts in the capital of developments on the ground through his personal Facebook page. “It’s not just a gap between us, it’s a gulf,” said Lyudmila, an officer at a base in Yevpatoriya, who declined to give her surname. “They don’t value our patriotism. They have done nothing to protect us, they only talk.”
At Belbek on Saturday, tension and anticipation had risen throughout the afternoon after Russian forces issued an ultimatum, warning of an attack if the Ukrainians did not relinquish control. Even amid the withdrawals last week, communication between the military here in Crimea and superiors in Kiev seemed strained. The head spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in Crimea, Vladislav Seleznev, was left reporting developments to Kiev through his personal Facebook page.
After scattered verbal exchanges with the Russian soldiers gathered outside the base’s black iron fence, the Russian mobilization began at about 5 p.m. One armored vehicle smashed through the main gate, while a second broke through a cement wall a short distance away. At Belbek on Saturday, tensions rose throughout the day after Russian forces issued an ultimatum, warning of an attack if the Ukrainians did not relinquish control. In the streets outside the base, scores of armed local militiamen, many wearing masks, gathered to support the siege.
There were sporadic bursts of gunfire, and several loud bangs from smoke grenades. At least one Russian soldier fired a handgun into the air repeatedly, and at least one person was wounded, beaten by Russian special forces. But it was unclear if the man was a soldier or a journalist. After scattered verbal exchanges between the Ukrainians and the Russian soldiers gathered outside the base’s black iron fence, the Russian mobilization began at about 5 p.m. One armored vehicle smashed through the main gate, while a second broke through a cement wall a short distance away.
For a time, the Ukrainians were surrounded, but by early evening most had been sent to collect their belongings. There were sporadic bursts of gunfire, and several loud bangs from smoke grenades. At least one Russian soldier fired a handgun into the air repeatedly, and at least one person was wounded, beaten by Russian special forces. It was unclear if the man, who was photographed in civilian clothes, was a soldier or a journalist.
The announcement of an agreement on monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe seemed to lessen the likelihood of a Russian military advance in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin has insisted that the troops massed along the border are engaged in training exercises. For a time, the Ukrainians were surrounded, but by early evening most, if not all, had been disarmed and sent to collect their belongings, and by nightfall the base was quiet, with its perimeter sealed and guarded by Russian soldiers. It was unclear if Ukrainian personnel remained on the base.
Even if the training exercise is pretext, it seemed unlikely that Russia would agree to allow monitors in ahead of a broader invasion. The emotional whiplash of Crimea’s sudden secession from Ukraine and annexation by Russia was evident among soldiers and their families throughout Crimea last week trying to decide whether to stay on the peninsula or cross what the Russians have now effectively declared to be a new international border.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it hoped the monitors would helped settle the political unrest in Ukraine, which began when its former pro-Russian leader backed out of closer ties with the West. The protests that followed ultimately drove the leader, President Viktor F. Yanukovych, from power, precipitating Russia’s decision to take over Crimea. Col. Igor Mamchur, deputy commander of the marine garrison in Simferopol, where the Russian flag was flying last week alongside the Ukrainian one, said troops were making the decisions about whether to stay or go themselves. “We’ve got apartments, we’ve got housing here, children that go to school,” he said.
Russia maintains that it was forced to intervene in Crimea to protect ethnic Russians, who form a majority in the territory that was part of Russia under the Soviet Union until 1954, when it became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The Russian statement called on the observer mission to help eradicate “radical” elements in Ukraine.
The first civilian observers were expected to arrive by Saturday night and over Sunday, said Tatyana Baeva, a spokeswoman for the international group, via email. The full contingent, to be recruited from member states, will arrive in Ukraine over the next week, she said.
The agreement established the monitoring mission for six months, saying it could grow to 500 members if needed. .
In Crimea, the emotional whiplash of the sudden declared breakup of Ukraine was evident among soldiers and their families last week trying to decide whether to stay on the peninsula or cross what the Russians have now effectively declared to be a new national border.
“We’re making the decision ourselves,” said Col. Igor Mamchur, deputy commander of the marine garrison in Simferopol, where the Russian flag was flying last week alongside the Ukrainian one. “We’ve got apartments, we’ve got housing here, children that go to school.”
Colonel Mamchur said he had decided to remain in Crimea. “I had a choice between duty and family,” he said, “and I’ve chosen family.”Colonel Mamchur said he had decided to remain in Crimea. “I had a choice between duty and family,” he said, “and I’ve chosen family.”
But for some, that choice was not yet apparent. For some, that choice was not yet apparent.
At the Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol, cadets were simply told last week that they now attend a Russian school.At the Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol, cadets were simply told last week that they now attend a Russian school.
But the transfer ceremony did not go as the Russians hoped. Some cadets defiantly sang the Ukrainian national anthem, prompting the bandmaster to order his musicians to play the Russian anthem to drown them out.But the transfer ceremony did not go as the Russians hoped. Some cadets defiantly sang the Ukrainian national anthem, prompting the bandmaster to order his musicians to play the Russian anthem to drown them out.