MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) – Representatives of the self-defense forces of Crimea have occupied Ukraine’s navy headquarters in the Crimean city Sevastopol, organizing the orderly departure of the Ukrainian military forces inside.
Crimea’s self-defense forces broke through barricades surrounding the facility Wednesday morning, raising the Russian federal and navy flags in place of their Ukrainian equivalents.
Some small altercations with the Ukrainian forces took place, but there were no mass clashes.
The commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko, arrived to negotiate with his Ukrainian counterpart, but could not locate Admiral Sergei Hayduk.
Local prosecutors later said Hayduk had been detained for questioning, according to the Kryminform news agency.
The move followed the signing of a treaty Tuesday between Crimean leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reunite the predominantly Russian ethnic region with Russia.
