Pro-Russian forces seize Ukraine navy base in Crimea
(Vatican Radio) Pro- Russian forces have seized control of the Ukrainian naval headquarters
in the Crimean capital of Sevastopol. Around a dozen Ukrainian navy personnel afterwards
walked out of the base. The seizure came a day after Crimea signed a treaty to become
part of Russia.
Regional Correspondent Stefan Bos reports that the latest
incident has added to concerns that more Ukrainian troops will be forced to leave
the region.
Listen:
A dozen Ukrainian
servicemen have walked out of the Ukrainian naval headquarters in Crimea’s Sevastopol
port after the base was taken over by pro-Russian forces.
Activists also
entered the base, where they replaced Ukrainian flags with Russian ones.
The
attack in Sevastopol came a day after Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Russian
President Vladimir Putin absorbing the peninsula into Russia, following a disputed
referendum.
Later, the head of the Russian Black Sea Fleet entered the Sevastopol
navy base encouraged by an enthusiastic crowd.
"Russia, Russia," many people
shouted and making clear they view remaining Ukrainian forces as occupiers.
REMOVING
ARTEFACT'S
Amid the tense stand-off, Pro-Russian activists removed Ukrainian
artefact's from the complex.
Soon, masked men could be seen guarding the
Ukrainian naval force base, prompting a dozen Ukrainian servicemen to leave.
"There
was nothing we could do. There was a takeover with a huge crowd" this Ukrainian serviceman
says.
Elsewhere, a 17-year-old boy was detained over the deadly shooting
of a Ukrainian officer in Crimea’s main city Simferopol on Tuesday.
Amid the
turmoil Ukraine's interim government gave its forces permission to shoot in self defence,
while Ukrainian Defense Minister Ihor Tenyuk said his country's forces would not withdraw.
But with thousands of pro-Russian soldiers already in control of Crimea, it appeared
unlikely that Ukrainian forces would be able to stay much longer