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Tuesday 4 March 2014

Russia fires its first shots in Crimea as soldiers warn off unarmed Ukrainian troops advancing on occupied airfield to demand their jobs back [Photos]

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Russian troops in control of the Belbek air base in Crimea fired warning shots into the air as around 300 Ukrainian soldiers, who previously manned the airfield, demanded their jobs back. About a dozen Russian soldiers at the base warned the Ukrainians, who were marching unarmed, not to approach. They fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the Ukrainians if they continued to advance. The stand-off comes as Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of Russian troops participating in military exercises near Ukraine's border to return to their base. But the Russian president showed no signs of loosening the stranglehold on the Crimean peninsula, openly defying the threat of diplomatic and economic sanctions from world leaders.

Tense: Russian troops in control of the Belbek air base in the Crimea region fired warning shots into the air as around 300 Ukrainian soldiers, who previously manned the airfield, demanded their jobs back
Tense: Russian troops in control of the Belbek air base in the Crimea region fired warning shots into the air as around 300 Ukrainian soldiers, who previously manned the airfield, demanded their jobs back

Hold fire: A Russian soldier restrains a colleague after he fired his weapon into the air and screamed orders to turn back at an approaching group of unarmed Ukrainian troops
Hold fire: A Russian soldier restrains a colleague after he fired his weapon into the air and screamed orders to turn back at an approaching group of unarmed Ukrainian troops
Troops under Russian command scream orders to turn back after firing their weapons into the air
Colonel Yuli Mamchor, commander of the Ukrainian military garrison at the Belbek airbase, leads his unarmed troops bearing the Ukrainian and regiment flags to retake the Belbek airfield
Stand-off: A Russian soldier prepares to fire his weapon as around 300 Ukrainian troops,  led by Colonel Yuli Mamchor (pictured centre on the right-hand image), march towards Belbek air base to demand their jobs back
Bullet casings can be seen flying into the air as a Russian soldier fires warning shots at the Ukrainian troops
Bullet casings can be seen flying into the air as a Russian soldier fires warning shots at the Ukrainian troops
Leader: Colonel Yuli Mamchor (right), commander of the Ukrainian military garrison, speaks to gun-wielding Russian troops occupying the Belbek airbase in Crimea
Leader: Colonel Yuli Mamchor (right), commander of the Ukrainian military garrison, speaks to gun-wielding Russian troops occupying the Belbek airbase in Crimea
The Russian soldiers prepare to fire their weapons as the Ukrainian troops continue to advance towards them
The Russian soldiers prepare to fire their weapons as the Ukrainian troops continue to advance towards them
Outnumbered: The dozen Russian troops (right) fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the 300 Ukrainian soldiers (left) if they continued to march toward them
Outnumbered: The dozen Russian troops (right) fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the 300 Ukrainian soldiers (left) if they continued to march toward them
Stop: This Russian soldier is believed to have ordered the unarmed Ukrainian troops to stop advancing towards them or he would shoot
Stop: This Russian soldier is believed to have ordered the unarmed Ukrainian troops to stop advancing towards them or he would shoot
Shots fired: Shortly after the soldier is seen firing warning shots into the air as his fellow Russians troops point their guns at the unarmed Ukrainian soldiers
Shots fired: Shortly after the soldier is seen firing warning shots into the air as his fellow Russians troops point their guns at the unarmed Ukrainian soldiers

The Ukrainian forces are believed to be led by Colonel Yuli Mamchor, commander of the Ukrainian military garrison at Belbek, who was seen speaking to gun-wielding Russian troops at the air base.
The stand-off comes as Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of Russian troops participating in military exercises near Ukraine's border to return to their base.
 


But the Russian president showed no signs of loosening the stranglehold on the Crimean peninsula, openly defying the threat of diplomatic and economic sanctions from world leaders.
He later described events in Ukraine as an 'anti-constitutional coup and armed seizure of power' at a press conference this morning, adding that 'militants' had plunged the country into 'chaos'.
Putin added that there is currently no need for Russian troops to extend further into Ukraine than Crimea, but he has not ruled out doing so.
Russia reserves the right to use 'all means' to protect citizens in Ukraine, he told a news conference.
Putin added that if Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine asked for help, then Moscow would respond, saying: 'If we see this anarchy beginning in the eastern regions we reserve the right to use all means'.
He also insisted that that ousted Viktor Yanukovych was still the legitimate president of Ukraine, accused the West of encouraging the street protests that had ousted him, and added that Yanukovych would have been killed without Russia's help.

Credit:
Daily Mail

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