Armored personnel carrier near Sevastopol. Are the Russians coming? Or are they here? #crimea #ukraine pic.twitter.com/Ns3Oxkugov
Posted on 02/28/2014 8:44:03 AM PST by kristinn
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine — Several hundred troops in green camouflage, without insignia and carrying military-style automatic rifles, entered and secured areas of the civilian airport in Crimea’s regional capital of Simferopol early Friday and deployed elsewhere, drawing protests from the new Ukrainian government against what it called a Russian invasion.
Video taken at the scene showed the troops patrolling inside the airport and standing guard outside. Flights continued to operate; no shots were fired.
SNIP
At the Belbek airport, armed men and a military transport truck blocked the entrance. Whoever the men were, they did not appear to be civilian militiamen, but trained soldiers.
When a man who appeared to be a Russian officer with two bodyguards approached them, they spread out in defensive positions, squatted and waited for orders.
Dozens of troop transport trucks were scattered along the highway between Sevastopol and Simferopol.
Seven Russian armored personnel carriers were spotted on the roadside outside Sevastopol showing Russian colors. One of the gunners said they were Russian Federation forces from the Krasnodar region in Russia, about 180 miles from Sochi.
The mysterious troops at the main airport in Simferopol slowly circulated at the arrival and departure concourses as international flights from Moscow and Istanbul continued as scheduled.
The soldiers refused to answer questions from reporters about who they are and what their mission is.
A dozen pro-Russian civilian self defense militiamen stood by, but not with, the soldiers.
In the Balaklava district near Sevastopol, at least 20 men wearing the uniform of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and carrying automatic rifles surrounded a Ukrainian border guard post Friday, initiating a tense standoff with Ukrainian border police inside, Reuters news agency reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“..carrying military-style automatic rifles...”
Ye gods! WaPo really has been in business too long.
1938 all over again. If Russia can invade and take a sovereign, independent country at will, no country that was formerly in their sphere of influence is safe. Expect massive hand wringing from Obama and company.
Not our problem.
Crossing an international borderwhile not really wearing uniforms, ad controlling major real estate. The world says nothing. Is the Geneva convention dead?
All in preparation for Jesus' return to take His away and leave the rest for Satan/anti-Christ ... for a few years before all ... uhem ... HELL breaks loose.
Rifles....ya mean like our “police” carried in Boston as they took over the area...and ordered everyone inside....and knocked on doors with weapons aimed at its citizens.
Armored personnel carrier near Sevastopol. Are the Russians coming? Or are they here? #crimea #ukraine pic.twitter.com/Ns3Oxkugov
Russia has a naval base in Crimea that it is trying to protect. It’s not an invasion.
That’s true. The situation in Ukraine is unstable. And Russia is obligated to protect not only its bases but to ensure the safety of the Russian population on the peninsula.
When there is anarchy and lawlessness in a neighboring state, you have to call out the troops to prevent further bloodshed.
Sky News reporter Yulia Bragina via Twitter:
MFA in Russia ordered it's consulate in Simferopol to give Russian passports to Berkut. Putin needs ppl who will do what they are told.
Moscow is going to hand out Russian passports to any one on the peninsula.
The Russian State Duma is drafting a federal law allowing any region that wishes to join Russia to do so either through plebiscite or through a decision of its Parliament.
Giving the Crimea legal grounds to accede to Russia.
Putin is sitting in the catbird seat right now playing the new rulers in Kiev and those in the West for fools.
NO more like beginning of World War 1
I doubt Vlady give rat*** what Obama thinks
WHOA Vlady in Ukraine is me or that dude look like Vlady LOL!
When one country walks in military into another sovereign country it’s called an invasion. Russia has no right to invade another country.
Russia’s military is technically there with Ukrainian permission.
But its a lesson to Kiev on who really holds the whip hand. It would be suicidal for Ukraine to go to war against Russia over a prestige prize.
Look for a replay of Transdniester here over 20 years ago. Russian peace-keeping troops move in and they stay there for good.
Better a good frozen conflict than a bad civil war.
Besides, saner heads in Kiev know full well keeping Crimea is not worth the risk of losing the real prize of becoming part of the West. Let it be Moscow’s headache.
Technically??? Are you kidding?
How is Russia invading with Ukrainian permission?
The Black Sea Fleet deal allows Russia to secure its naval base.
And Russia is giving it the widest possible interpretation.
Moscow could not care less what Kiev thinks. Politics ain’t nothing personal, you understand.
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