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Ukraine crisis: Russian troops seize Crimean naval base that became symbol of resistance Ukraine crisis: Russian troops seize Crimean naval base that became symbol of resistance
(about 1 hour later)
Russian troops forced their way into a Ukrainian marine base in the Crimean port city of Feodosia early on Monday, overrunning one of the few symbols of resistance left after Moscow wrestled the peninsula away from Kiev, defending soldiers inside said. Russian troops seized a Ukrainian marine base in Crimea early on Monday morning, claiming one of the last symbols of resistance left since Moscow annexed the peninsula away from Kiev last week. 
The Russians used stun grenades and fired automatic weapons as they charged in, a Ukrainian military official said. Ukrainian flags had been taken down from flagpoles inside the base. Using weapons including stun grenades, soldiers charged into the compound in the port city of Feodosia, removed Ukrainian flags, and took Ukrainian officers away for questioning, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian army officer, First Lieutenant Anatoly Mozgovoy, told Reuters by phone from inside the compound that the Russians had fired shots and the Ukrainian soldiers were unarmed. Asked if the base had been taken over, he said: “Yes”. The incident completes a partial capture of the base, used by Ukraine’s top military unit the 1st Separate Marine Battalion, earlier this month, and mirrors a Russian takeover of the Belbek airbase in Crimea two days ago.
“The invading troops were using stun grenades and also firing automatic weapons. The interior of the compound is full of Russian troops,” said Vladislav Seleznyov, a Ukrainian military spokesman in Crimea. Ukrainian army officer, First Lieutenant Anatoly Mozgovoy, told reporters from inside the compound that Russians troops had fired shots at unarmed Ukrainian soldiers. Asked if the base had been taken over, he said: “Yes”.
Russian forces had already captured part of the base, used by the 1st Separate Marine Battalion, Ukraine's top military unit, earlier this month. “The invading troops were using stun grenades and also firing automatic weapons. The interior of the compound is full of Russian troops,” said Vladislav Seleznyov, a Defence spokesman in Crimea. 
But Ukrainians had previously appeared to be in control of the armoury, the barracks and other facilities in the compound.
Russia's seizure of Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula of two million people with a narrow ethnic Russian majority, has been largely bloodless.Russia's seizure of Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula of two million people with a narrow ethnic Russian majority, has been largely bloodless.
Moscow formally annexed Crimea on Mar. 21 in a move not recognised by Kiev and the West, prompting sanctions on Russia over the Cold War-era style conflict. But Kiev and Western powers have called the referendum held on 21 March illegitimate due to the presence of Russian troops in the territory and the lack of a campaign period.
Reuters Leaders of the G7 nations are to hold talks on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in The Hague on Monday to consider their response to Russia annexing Crimea.
In what has become the worst diplomatic crisis between the East and West since the Cold War, the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions targeting some of his closest political and business allies, but it was unclear whether they went far enough to influence Moscow.
So far, Western governments have struggled to find a balance between putting pressure on Putin, protecting their own economies, and avoiding triggering a vicious cycle of sanctions and reprisals.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has suggested that it could be expelled from the G8 bloc of nations.
White House deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken suggested ahead of the talks that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be plotting to take control of a Russian-speaking section of Moldova.
“It's deeply concerning to see the Russian troop buildup on the border,” Mr Blinken told US TV network CNN.
“It creates the potential for incidents, for instability.
"It's likely that what they're trying to do is intimidate the Ukrainians... It's possible that they're preparing to move in."
However, Moscow's ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told the BBC Moscow did not have any "expansionist views" and that "nobody should fear Russia".
Additional reporting by Reuters