Russian troops seize Ukraine base

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/24/russian-troops-seize-ukraine-base

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Russian troops took over a Ukrainian naval base in Crimea on Monday, one of the few military facilities that was still flying a Ukrainian flag after the Kremlin's annexation of the region, according to reports.

Ukrainian First Lieutenant Anatoly Mozgovoy told Reuters on the phone from inside the base in Feodosia that there were shots fired and that the Ukrainian soldiers were unarmed.

Asked if the base had been taken over, he said: "Yes."

Vladislav Seleznyov, a Ukrainian military spokesman in Crimea, earlier said Russian forces had been forcing their way in and were assisted by helicopters.

Russian forces captured part of the base of the 1st Separate Marine battalion, Ukraine's top military unit, earlier this month, as they took control of the Black Sea peninsula.

But Ukrainians had previously appeared to be in control of the armoury, the barracks and other facilities within the compound.