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Pro-Russian activists have taken control of the HQ of Ukraine's navy in the Crimean city
of Sevastopol. Ukrainian navy chief Serhiy Hayduk has been
detained and the Russian flag is flying over the compound. Many Ukrainian personnel have
left the base. On Tuesday, Crimean leaders signed a treaty
with Moscow absorbing the peninsula into Russia. That followed Sunday's referendum approving
Crimea's split from Ukraine - a vote that has been widely condemned.
Crimean and Russian officials say the vote showed overwhelming public support for joining
Russia, with 97% of voters in favour. But the West and the Ukrainian government
in Kiev say the hastily organised referendum - boycotted by many of Crimea's Ukrainian
and Tatar minorities - was illegal and will not be recognised.
Russia's constitutional court has now approved the accession treaty and the BBC's Richard
Galpin in Moscow says there is no doubt that parliament will also give its full backing.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh and First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema
travelled to Crimea on Wednesday to try to defuse tensions, but were prevented from entering,
Ukrainian media reported, citing ministers. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister David Cameron
has said the EU must send "a very clear warning" to Russia. He also said the G8 group should
discuss whether to expel Russia "if further steps are taken".
Refusal to surrender Pro-Russian forces appear to have taken control
of the Ukrainian base in Sevastopol - the port city which houses Russia's Black Sea
fleet - without a shot being fired. Around 200 people, some armed, broke down
the gates and went to negotiate with senior Ukrainian personnel.
Kiev ordered its troops to stay in place, but a number of Ukrainian servicemen - at
least one in tears - were seen leaving the base carrying their belongings.
Others are still inside and refusing the surrender. "There is nothing we could do against the
crowd, nothing. Everything happened spontaneously," said Ukrainian captain Olexander Balanyuk.
"There were many promises from the Russian side and our side that the base will not be
stormed, that all issues will be resolved through political means, but as you see now
- there was a takeover." Pro-Russian forces member Viktor Melnikov
said that "not a drop of blood has been spilled" and there was no violence, saying the Ukrainians
were applauded as they left. There were then reports that Serhiy Hayduk
had been detained and taken from the base by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
"He was blocked and he had nowhere to go. He was forced out and he has been taken away,"
said Igor Yeskin, a representative of the Russian forces.
Ukraine's defence ministry reported a similar incident at a its navy base in Novo-Ozyorne,
in western Crimea. Defence ministry spokesman Vladyslav Seleznev
said on Facebook that a tractor had rammed the gates of the compound and blocked the
entrance.