Unarmed Ukrainian Soldiers Bravely Confront Armed Russians (DailyMail.co.uk) Russia fires its first shots in Crimea as soldiers warn off unarmed Ukrainian troops advancing on occupied airfield to demand their jobs back Dozen Russian soldiers fired warning shots at unarmed Ukrainian troops Standoff took place as 300 Ukrainian soldiers marched to Belbek air base The Ukrainians were employed at air base before Russians seized control Stand-off comes as both Russia and Ukraine send warships towards Crimea Head of Ukraine's security service says cyber attacks have also taken place Valentyn Nalivaichenko blames illegal telecommunications equipment he says was installed in the Crimea by Russian forces over the weekend Vladimir Putin says he can not rule out moving troops further into Ukraine Said if Russian-speakers ask for help, Moscow will use 'all means' to do so 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. 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. 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 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. 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.

• published: 04 Mar 2014
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