- VIDEO OF WARNING SHOTS
- A dozen Russian soldiers fired warning shots as 300 unarmed Ukrainian soldiers marched to Belbek air base
- The Ukrainian troops were employed at the air base before Russians forces seized control over the weekend
- Stand-off comes as both Russia and Ukraine send warships into the Bosphorus straits, heading towards Crimea
- Head of Ukraine's security service says Russia has also conducted cyber attacks using illegal telecoms equipment
- Meanwhile Vladimir Putin refuses to rule out moving troops further into Ukraine if Russian-speakers ask for help
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 towards them without any weapons, not to get any closer.
They fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the Ukrainians if they continued to advance.
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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
Stand-off: A Russian soldier prepares to fire
his weapon as around 300 Ukrainian troops, led by Colonel Yuli Mamchor
(left), march towards Belbek air base
Shots fired: A Russian soldier is seen firing
warning shots into the air as his colleagues point their guns at the
unarmed Ukrainian soldiers
Leader: Colonel Yuli Mamchor (right), commander
of the Ukrainian military garrison, speaks to gun-wielding Russian
troops occupying the Belbek airbase in Crimea
Stop: This Russian soldier is believed to have
ordered the unarmed Ukrainian troops to stop advancing towards them or
he would shoot
Outnumbered: The dozen Russian troops fired
several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the 300
Ukrainian soldiers (left) if they continued to march
Hidden: A group of mostly-masked pro-Russian
militants arrived at the air base shortly after the stand-off, as
Russian-led troops blockade Ukrainian military bases
Marksmen: A Russian soldier guards the occupied Belbek airbase after Ukrainian troops marched on the area earlier today
Moment of peace: Russian soldiers watch Ukrainian servicemen play football following the tense stand-off at Belbek airport
Support: Shortly after the stand-off, a group of
masked pro-Russian troops arrived (left) to provide backup to the dozen
or so Russian soldiers (right) on the site
Colonel Yuli Mamchor (centre), commander of the
Ukrainian military garrison at the Belbek air base, leads his unarmed
troops to retake the airfield from Russian soldiers
Honour: Colonel Yuli Mamchor gives a salute to a
Ukrainian flag before leading around 300 unarmed troops towards the
Belbek airfield
The Ukrainian forces were 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.
Location: Belbek is in the south west corner of the Crimean peninsula, close to the port city of Sevastopol
Conflict: Occupying Russian soldiers stand on
command in front of Ukrainian murals at Belbek air base, deep in the
heart of the Crimea
Keeping warm: Following the air base stand-off,
armed Russian troops huddled together in small groups to keep warm as
they stood guard
Unarmed: None of the Ukrainian servicemen (pictured) were carrying weapons when the warning shots from Russian troops were fired
Threat: About a dozen Russian soldiers
(pictured) have been stationed at the base since the weekend. They
warned the advancing Ukrainians not to approach them
Dispute: Ukraine has effectively lost control of
the Crimean peninsula and admits it has 'no military options' to make
Moscow withdraw from the region
Ukraine's new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will meet EU leaders on Thursday ahead of an emergency summit the same day on the crisis in his country, EU President Herman Van Rompuy said.
EU leaders 'will discuss situation in Ukraine with PM Yatsenyuk in Brussels Thursday prior to extraordinary summit,' Van Rompuy said on Twitter this morning.
Earlier in the day, two Russian warships on their way to Crimea passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus straits.
The Saratov and Yamal warships, which are usually based in the Mediterranean, were seen sailing unaccompanied through the Marmara Sea before entering the straits at around 7.30am local time.
At the same time as the Russian warships headed towards the Crimea, a Ukrainian ship called 'Hetman Sahaidachny entered the straits at Canakkale in Turkey.
The head of Ukraine's security service also this morning suggested the country has come under a number of cyber attacks from illegal telecommunications equipment installed in Crimea since Russian troops moved into the region.
Valentyn Nalivaichenko said the mobile phones of lawmakers had been hit by the cyber attacks.
The Kremlin, which does not recognise the new Ukrainian leadership, insists it made the move to protect millions of Russians living in the region, with Moscow's UN envoy adding that ousted president Viktor Yanukovych had asked the country to send troops across the border.
Ukraine has effectively lost control of the Crimean peninsula and admits it has ‘no military options’ to make Moscow withdraw.
Negotiations: Colonel Yuli Mamchor walks past
armed Russian soldiers as he returns to his Ukrainian troops. He had
just been speaking with Russian troop leaders
Calm: Colonel Yuli Mamchor, the leader of the
unarmed Ukrainian troops involved in the stand-off, calmly chats with
armed Russian soldiers
Heavily armed and camouflaged Russian soldiers duck beneath a small mound as the unarmed Ukrainian troops arrived at the site
Taking a break: Unarmed Ukrainian troops rest on the Belbek airfield after they confronted soldiers under Russian command
Brave: Unarmed Ukrainian troops (pictured) confronted the heavily armed Russian soldiers who have been occupying Belbek air base
Unarmed: A Ukrainian solider chats on his mobile phone as a group of 300 march on Belbelk air base with the intention of reclaiming it from Russian troops
Taking back Belbek: The unarmed Ukrainian soldiers line-up for photographs before marching towards the armed Russian troops
Waiting around: Unarmed Ukrainian troops rest on
the Belbek airfield after confronting Russian soldiers who have been
occupying the base in Crimea
Loyal: Unarmed Ukrainian troops carry the flag of their regiment alongside the Ukrainian flag as they marched on Belbek air base
Liberate: Around 300 Ukrainian troops arrived at
the base hoping to reclaim it from the dozen or so Russian soldiers
occupying the site
Earlier this morning, two Russian warships on their way to Crimea passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus straits
The Saratov and Yamal warships, which are
usually based in the Mediterranean, were seen sailing unaccompanied
through the Marmara Sea before entering the straits
At the same time as the Russian warships headed
towards the Crimea, a Ukrainian ship called 'Hetman Sahaidachny' entered
the straits at Canakkale in Turkey
Although the Russian president has kept his silence on the crisis, his foreign minister said Russian troops were protecting people from ‘ultra-nationalist threats’ and would be staying put.
Justifying military action, Sergei Lavrov said: ‘This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots, ensuring human rights, especially the right to life.’
The disclosure of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych's support for Russian military intervention was made at the third emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council since Friday.
Moscow's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin told a Security Council meeting Yanukovych wrote to Putin on Saturday requesting Russian troops be sent into Ukraine.
It came amid fears that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in pro-Russian eastern Ukraine.
Russia faced demands from almost all council members to pull its troops out of Crimea and got no support for its military action from close ally China.
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