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Unidentified Troops Block Crimea Airports, Military Base, Ukraine Officials Say Russians To Blame
| WTF News |
UPDATE:
Telegraph
12.20 It seems Ukraine authorities have regained control of both Crimea airports.“There was an attempt to seize the airports, but we have localised those attempts. The airports are now controlled by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities,” said Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy.
He said that people who had tried to seize the airports were now manning roadblocks near the airports.
12.02 We reported this earlier (10.38) but now there seems to be confirmation: the Ukrainian border guard service hs said 10 Russian military helicopters flew from Russia into Ukrainian airspace over the Crimea.
The situation in the Crimean Peninsula has deteriorated further throughout Friday morning since Thursday’s events.
WTF News
The occurrence of strange events continues in Crimea after the seizure of multiple Parliament buildings on Thursday. Friday morning, unidentified, camoflauged troops briefly seized control of Simferopol Airport, supposedly looking for ‘Ukraine airborne troops’, in what was described as a ‘peaceful’ raid.
The Simferopol unknown force was described as small, around 50 or more troops, outfitted in completely blank green uniforms, military grade rifles and carrying few other items. The force has no identifying markings, flags, names, ranks, etc.
There was speculation that the occupying troops are Russian as the Kremlin has recently authorized the movement of significant numbers of troops and equipment for “drills” near the Crimean border in recent days.
UKRAINE INTERIOR MINISTER CALLS RUSSIAN MILITARY MOVES “INVASION AND OCCUPATION”
— DefenceToday.com (@DefenceToday) February 28, 2014
Simferopol
Although the scene was confusing to most, the raid was widely described as calm or paeacful and that the airport was to continue normal operations.
Jerusalem Post
Armed men who took control of the airport in Ukraine’s Crimean regional center of Simferopol on Friday and have been patrolling the airport grounds but had not moved into the passenger terminal and appeared to be allowing the airport to function normally.
#Simferopol airport: nobody actually knows who those armed men are. No badges, no flags… pic.twitter.com/1qlYoH4I4N
— Danilo Elia (@daniloeliatweet) February 28, 2014
Does this look like a civil vigilante? #Russia‘s commandos occupy #Simferopol airport. #Crimea #Ukraine
“@avsolomin pic.twitter.com/CL7NYub0rx“— HM Yazz (@yazzno) February 28, 2014
#Simferopol airport now. Armed men still here pic.twitter.com/Pu8uDeHjjJ – @BBCDanielS |PR News #Ukraine
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) February 28, 2014
Все наверное уже устали, такими фотками щас не удивишь, но все же pic.twitter.com/VbOFyX4Cjk
— Алексей Соломин (@avsolomin) February 28, 2014
Ulterior motives?
Soldiers at #Simferopol airport ostentatiously wandering thru forest of tripods – clearly told to get on telly.
— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) February 28, 2014
Sevastopol
The more confusing scene was near Sevastopol. It was reported that Russian security forces blocked the road to Belbek airport. Belbek airport is used for both civilan transport and military operations.
Cyprus Mail
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet said on Friday its forces had not seized or taken any other action at a military airport near Sevastopol, the port on Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula where the fleet is based, Interfax news agency reported.“No Black Sea Fleet units have moved toward (the airport), let alone taking any part in blockading it,” Interfax quoted a spokesman for the fleet as saying after Ukraine’s interior minister said Russian forces had take control of two airports in Crimea and called it an invasion.
Armed men took control of two airports in the Crimea region on Friday in what Ukraine’s government described as an invasion and occupation by Russian forces, stoking tension between Moscow and the West.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Russian naval forces had taken over a military airport near the port of Sevastopol, where the Russian Black Sea fleet has a base, and other Russian forces had taken over Simferopol international airport.
However, amid the confusion one man who said he was helping the group at Simferopol airport described them as simple people from the “People’s Militia of Crimea”.
Road to Sevastopol airport blocked by armed people pic.twitter.com/JFn566gIlL
— Julia Smirnova (@smirnova_welt) February 28, 2014
Well-equipped military block path to airport near #Sevastopol. Local guard won’t allow reporters near them. #maidan pic.twitter.com/J3hhitaeBW
— Alan Cullison (@AlanCullison) February 28, 2014
#Ukraine: “Totally Not-#Russia troops” with totally #Russia military equipment have cut off #Sevastopol; #putin #war pic.twitter.com/NzWR1pJuLm
— East of Brussels (@EastOfBrussels) February 28, 2014
Numerous military trucks without markings without plates moving around #Sevastopol. #Ukraine #maidan #euromaidan pic.twitter.com/jiEqAc2WiH
— Alan Cullison (@AlanCullison) February 28, 2014
Naval activity and other concerns
It was disputed as to whether Russian naval forces might have set up a blockade near the strategic port.
Russian Black Sea Fleet rejects allegations that Russian military seized Belbek Airport near Sevastopol http://t.co/61ClrQe5jp #Ukraine
— RT (@RT_com) February 28, 2014
Russian Black Sea Fleet rejects allegations that Russian military seized Belbek Airport near Sevastopol #Євромайдан #Евромайдан #Euromaidan
— ЄВРОМАЙДАН (@euromaidan) February 28, 2014
#Ukraine TV station says a #Russian military missile boat has blocked the entrance to #Balaklava Bay in #Sevastopol, #BBC reports
— Baloogan Campaign (@BalooganCamp) February 28, 2014
#Russian military vessel are anchored at a navy base in the #Ukrainian Black Sea port of Sevastopol in #Crimea ! #USA pic.twitter.com/gZCQlA32Ag
— Tamer Yazar (@tameryazar) February 28, 2014
Maybe the NATO-Georgia news is relevant too?
The U.S. State Department has endorsed granting Georgia its long-coveted status as an aspiring NATO member http://t.co/LhBT0ijl77
— DefenceToday.com (@DefenceToday) February 28, 2014
