The withdrawal of the last Ukrainian forces from Crimea on the agenda
(BRUSSELS2) The Ukrainian Defense Minister, Ihor Tenyukh, indicated this Sunday in a press release that a " decision to withdraw most military units from Crimea would be taken very soon (in the nearest time).
« The Cabinet of Ministers considers the possibility of withdrawal of military units, in the first place military families. " All commanders received fire orders. But they only did it to avoid bloodshed he explained. The Minister also denied the " rumors of lack of armament or food on the boats, asking the media not to spread false information. He did, however, confirm that Ukrainian ships had been captured in Crimea.
Most Ukrainian ships in Crimea under Russian control
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the flag of St. Andrew (the emblem of the Russian Navy) currently flies on 54 of the 67 Ukrainian military vessels, including 8 combat ships and a submarine”. While "less than 2.000 Ukrainian soldiers out of the 18.000 deployed in Crimea have chosen to return to Ukraine" specifies the press release according to Ria Novosti. Are thus in the hands of the Russians, the anti-submarine corvette Ternopil (U-209) - class Grisha-, the command and reconnaissance ship Slavutitch (U-510). Note, this weekend, the storming of the Sevastopol tactical aircraft brigade by several dozen armed men supported by four BTR-80 vehicles.
The Russian government should thus have completed, within a few days, its almost total takeover of the various Ukrainian military bases and resources in the peninsula which was attached to Russia this week. All in relatively record time, and with relatively limited clashes.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
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