Ukraine alerts and mobilizes in turn (Maj)
(BRUSSELS2) The Ukrainian authorities – through Andrew Parubiy, President of the National Security Council (and former commander of Maidan Square) – issued a mobilization order for Sunday 8 a.m. The more cautious Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spoke on Saturday of reinforced preparations and alerting. But the recall order for reservists (normally all men up to age 40) was upheld.
No armored movements towards Kiev
« Ukraine has armed forces able to fulfill their constitutional duty declared Igor Tenyukh, the Minister of Defense (interim). He denied the rumors movement of Russian armored personnel carriers from Crimea to Zaporizhia and Kiev, they are unfounded ". And to conclude: The morale of officers, non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is very high ».
No defection of military units in Crimea
(Update) The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has denied “ the alleged abandonment of its Ukrainian military units in Crimea " This information " is not true and is a provocation “said a press release from the ministry. In Sevastopol, the military tactical aviation brigade Alexander Pokryshkin refused to surrender their weapons at the request of gunmen who seized the 'Belbek' airfield in Sevastopol. " The national flag of Ukraine was officially raised. And the soldiers said they remain true to the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Ditto at the Naval Forces Academy P. Nakhimov, “ senior school officers said they would not turn in their weapons or allow gunmen on Academy territory”.
(NB: § separated from the previous paper, NATO, EU and OSCE emergency meetings, and completed 2.03.2014)
