22 March 2014

Russian forces seized a military compound in Belbek airport (Crimea) and arrested its Ukrainian commander, Yuliy Mamchur. A journalist and Ukrainian solider reported to be injured. Many of the pro-Russian forces that stormed the military base and fired shots were masked and unidentified. Groups of ‘self-defense’ pro-Russian armed men also rallied outside the base and seized cameras, memory cards and equipment from journalists.

About 100 Ukrainian troops were forced from their Novofyodorovka base, also in Crimea. Russia also seized a Ukrainian submarine.

The mayor of Sevastopol, Sergiy Chaly, has said Ukrainian soldiers can transfer to other Ukrainian bases, leave the military or enlist with Russian forces. At the Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol, students were simply told that they now attend a Russian Academy. In a ceremony where the academy’s flag was changed from a Ukrainian flag to the Russian Federation, a handful of Ukrainian cadets stood by the entrance of the academy and, as the Russian national anthem was played throughout the grounds, they loudly sang the Ukrainian national anthem.

Other Ukrainian military personnel said they feel abandoned by the Ukrainian government. They feel they have little choice but to serve with the Russian forces. Others feel divided between wishing to serve Sevestapol, no matter under whose command, and wishing to protect their Ukrainian families and remain in Ukraine, or move to Europe.

The number of Russian troops along the border is about double what it was when the defense ministry in Moscow announced that its armed forces would hold exercises near eastern Ukraine.

In Kyiv, Yatseniuk said Ukraine would need energy from the European Union to protect it from repercussions of its standoff with Moscow, on which it depends for over half its oil and gas.

(As if Ukraine did not have enough problems), the Right Sector has declared themselves a political party. The party incorporates other nationalist groups of the Ukrainian National Assembly to support a leader, Dmitry Yarosh, for the next elections in May 2014. The Ukrainian National Assembly, now Right Sector, shares political views with the British National Party, the National Front in France, Golden Dawn in Greece and National Democratic Party in Germany.

The U.S. has widened its list of people targeted to 27 Russian officials and four Ukrainians. In addition, Obama has authorized potential future penalties on Russian industries, including financial services, energy, metals and mining, defense and engineering. Iceland has joined the list of countries approving sanctions against Russia.

Activists who had been captured in Crimea continue to speak out about torture inflicted by masked, unidentified men. About 10 people are still listed as missing, since March 16^th.