Gunmen Take Over Crimean Airports

[Hakan]

The crisis in Ukraine took another ominous turn Friday when gunmen in unmarked military uniforms took control of two airports on the Crimean peninsula — where the majority of people are ethnic Russians and many want to break away from the new government in Kiev.

There was no violence. No shots were fired. But Ukraine's new interior minister, Arsen Avakov, wrote on his Facebook page that "military units" from the Russian Navy fleet based at Crimea's Black Sea port of Sevastopol were at one of the airports. At the other airport, Avakov wrote, the men "[did] not hide their affiliation to the armed forces of the Russian Federation."

Avakov's claims were dismissed by Moscow. "Russia's Black Sea Fleet has denied that Russian servicemen are taking part," the BBC says.

In the mid-afternoon (early morning in the U.S.) there was also word from Reuters that "more than 10 Russian military helicopters flew from Russia into Ukrainian airspace over the Crimea region on Friday," Reuters reports.

The developments follow Thursday's takeover of government buildings in Crimea by pro-Russia gunmen and a vote by the parliament there to schedule a referendum on whether the region should demand more autonomy.

Meanwhile, ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was holding a news conference Friday in Rostov-on-Don, a city on the Russian side of the border with Ukraine. As he began his remarks just after 5 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET), Yanukovych said he is "eager and read to fight for the future of Ukraine." He said the agreement he signed last week that was aimed at holding new elections later this year, needs to be enforced. (Update at 8:12 a.m. ET.)

The new government in Ukraine has announced it will ask Russia to extradite Yanukovych, so that he can face mass murder charges stemming from the deaths in Kiev last week of scores of protesters. Yanukovych has also been accused of corruption and Ukrainian authorities claim he's responsible for the disappearance of billions of dollars in government money.

As NPR's Michele Kelemen reported Friday on Morning Edition, while all this goes on, "the U.S. says this should not be a zero sum game and Ukraine should not face a choice of East versus West, but that's not an easy case to make." Secretary of State John Kerry, she added, "says he received assurances from Moscow that it will respect Ukraine's territorial integrity."

We've previously summed up what sparked months of protest in Kiev and ultimately led to Yanukovych's dismissal last weekend this way:

"The protests were sparked in part by the president's rejection of a pending trade treaty with the European Union and his embrace of more aid from Russia. Protesters were also drawn into the streets to demonstrate against government corruption."


Also Friday, Bloomberg BusinessWeek writes, "Ukraine's new government said it had enough reserves to pay all creditors as the country started negotiations for an International Monetary Fund loan." But BusinessWeek notes that Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, "[has] plunged to a record low this week as ethnic tensions at home and Russian military maneuvers nearby rattle investors."

​

Gunmen Take Over Crimean Airports; Ukraine Blames Russia : The Two-Way : NPR
'No takeover' at Crimean capital’s airport, ‘self-defense squads’ on nearby patrol — RT News
Armed men take control of Crimean airport - The Washington Post


According to the daily beast these armed are mercenaries hired by Russia.
Exclusive: Russian ‘Blackwater’ Takes Over Ukraine Airport - The Daily Beast

 

[Cherokee]

 

[Developereo]

"non-state actors"?

 

[Cherokee]

"non-state actors"?

They are only lacking "Army Tags and Flags" . Look at dresses , weaponry and the way they are holding it . They don't even look "normal foot soldiers " . Special Forces maybe ??

 

[Developereo]

They are only lacking "Army Tags and Flags" . Look at dresses , weaponry and the way they are holding it . They don't even look "normal foot soldiers " . Special Forces maybe ??

I would suspect the US would have the region under surveillance -- if "more than 10" Russian helicopters crossed over, the Americans would know.

Of course, it doesn't mean the US would publicly make a statement about it.

 

[Falcon29]

Good for them, they're protecting their interests, lol. I never seen the NATO obsessors here complain when NATO or Israel 'protect' their interests.

 

[Declein]

I would suspect the US would have the region under surveillance -- if "more than 10" Russian helicopters crossed over, the Americans would know.

Of course, it doesn't mean the US would publicly make a statement about it.

Everybody knows, they're just watching the Russians plow in to sh!t head first. Not that they can do that much at the moment anyway, just wait for the fireworks to start...

Here's the kicker: Ukraine has it's territory integrity guaranteed by both the USA and Russia, among other..not the the Russian care that much about it at this moment

 

[Cherokee]

I would suspect the US would have the region under surveillance -- if "more than 10" Russian helicopters crossed over, the Americans would know.

Of course, it doesn't mean the US would publicly make a statement about it.

Lindsey Hilsum (a very reputable British foreign correspondent on the ground in Ukraine) has tweeted what looks like a pretty big clue that the forces are indeed undeniably Russian: the uniform is identical to the brand new 2014 Russian Army Field Uniform, designed exclusively by and for Russian use.

COmpare above Russian Military camo pic with rebel's pics

I doubt US will fight with russia over crimea .

 

[Developereo]

undeniably Russian

I don't see why the Russians would play games.

Putin prides himself on being a no-nonsense tough guy. If he sends troops, he would beat his chest about it, not hide it.

I agree the US will not do anything about it, other than some temporary symbolic "measures" to indicate its displeasure.

 

[Cherokee]

I don't see why the Russians would play games.

Putin prides himself on being a no-nonsense tough guy. If he sends troops, he would beat his chest about it, not hide it.

Well because he does not want to be seen as aggressor . Remember not a single bullet was fired in this takeover . However if someone forcefully tries to take over airports and their is firefight putin will get excuse he is looking for .

 

[Declein]

Admission that those are Russian troops equals cassius beli

Edit: if some of those troops get capped later he has plausible deniability ("not our, non-state actors)"

 

[Oldman1]

I don't see why the Russians would play games.

Putin prides himself on being a no-nonsense tough guy. If he sends troops, he would beat his chest about it, not hide it.

I agree the US will not do anything about it, other than some temporary symbolic "measures" to indicate its displeasure.

About 50 unidentified gunmen armed with rpgs and assault rifles and sniper rifles with no insignias when they took over the govt. buildings and plant the Russian flag. Yeah doesn't take a genius to know they are Russians. And of course taking over the airports with no insignia. Guess they don't want the local people to look at them as Russians or outsiders.

 

[Cherokee]

About 50 unidentified gunmen armed with rpgs and assault rifles and sniper rifles with no insignias when they took over the govt. buildings and plant the Russian flag. Yeah doesn't take a genius to know they are Russians. And of course taking over the airports with no insignia. Guess they don't want the local people to look at them as Russians or outsiders.

Well majority of local people are pro-russian in cremia otherwise there would have been another EuroMaidan there . Russia's Black Sea fleet is based out of Sevastopol . It is in my knowledge only russian port ( there may be a few more at max) that does not freeze in winter . Russia will not let it go easily .

On April 27, 2010, Russia and Ukraine ratified the Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas treaty, extending the Russian Navy's lease of the Sevastopol base for 25 years after 2017 (through 2042) with an option to prolong the lease for another 5 years (through 2047). The ratification process in the Ukrainian parliament encountered stiff opposition and erupted into a brawl in the parliament chamber. Eventually, the treaty was ratified by a 52% majority vote—236 of 450. The Russian Duma ratified the treaty by a 98% majority without incident

 

[Oldman1]

Well majority of local people are pro-russian in cremia otherwise there would have been another EuroMaidan there . Russia's Black Sea fleet is based out of Sevastopol . It is in my knowledge only russian port ( there may be a few more at max) that does not freeze in winter . Russia will not let it go easily .

Guess they don't have the confidence of the majority of the people that are pro-Russian to make sure the country is pro-Russian. So they sent an armed force to handle the situation. They are so confident in the pro-Russian people that their own pro-Russian president took off and fled to Moscow. Why is his own military forces not helping him?

 

[Developereo]

I guess Russia will explain away the uniforms by saying these are Ukrainian forces who happened to receive training (and "unofficial" uniforms) in Russia prior to the coup.