Also, 16 BTR-80's belonging to the 810^th Brigade located in Sevastopol of the Black Sea Fleet moved from their original stations to the locations of Kacha, Hvardiske, and Sevastopol.

         In addition, on February 23, 2014, 3 BTR-80 tanks were moved from the position of the 810^th Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet to the Herson peninsula, and then back again.

         In regard to prioritized negotiations of the socio-political stability in the territory of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called upon the Russian side to cease the mobilization of objects of war beyond their own borders, to order these machines to adhere to the leading factions of Ukraine, as states in point 4, section 8 of the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in regards to the location of the Black Sea Naval Fleet on the territory of Ukraine, dated the 28th of May, 1997.

         Russia has been advised to start multi-lateral negotiations at the earliest possible point in time.

 

         On February 27^th, 2014, at 20:50, a large special forces ship “Azov” moved from its anchorage at post No. 141 in the “Southern” bay, passed through border patrol, and then moved to anchor at “Kozacha” bay (the location of the 810th Brigade of Marines of the Black Sea Fleet), at which point there issued from within the ship approximately 300 armed soldiers. Their transport was provided by 15 KAMAZ army vehicles.

         At 20:57 on the same day, a line of 14 unmarked ‘Eagle’ automobiles and 2 BTR-80 tanks, which transported up to 400 soldiers, left the territory of the 7^th training facility of the Black Sea Fleet and the city of Sevastopol. At the crossroads between the cities of Sevastopol, Sapun-Hora, and Inkerman, the line divided: 6 ‘Eagle’ automobiles continued in the direction of Inkerman, the rest of the automobiles and the 2 tanks went in the direction of the region of Sapun-Hora.

         In addition, at 21:18 on the same day, 150 persons were transported in 4 unmarked KAMAZ army vehicles, which left from the 7^th training facility of the Black Sea Fleet and drove in the direction of the city of Novofedorivka.

         Other armed factions (consisting of 2-5 automobiles) traveled to the location of the base of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city of Sevastopol.

         At approximately 21:30, between Kachinsky avenue and the gates of the territory of the city, where the landing area is for delegations of civilian nature, next to the armed forces airport Belbek, there appeared unidentified armed personnel, wearing unmarked army uniforms (approximately 300 persons, 17 cars similar to the ‘Eagle’ automobile, and 2 BTR tanks). After inquiries, it was ascertained that the function of these personnel was to take under control and leave up to their discretion all the civilian departures from the airport, and to deny the transport of certain high-interest individuals, which, according to their orders & information, would be arriving in Crimea by way of Sevastopol. This group of armed personnel spread out across the perimeter of the enclosures of the civilian airport, their position announced via radio electronic equipment set up on the BTR’s. At 16:00, 3 ‘Eagle’ automobiles blocked air & ground travel, next to which were positioned stationary guns. The leader of this brigade announced that should any planes attempt to leave, they would be shot down, with fatal intent.

 

         On February 28^th, 2014, different blockades were also set up.

 

         At 8:45, the Sevastopol base of the Ukrainian Coast Guard was blockaded by a group of approximately 30 armed personnel in 4 army vehicles, who were later identified as being from the 810-th Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, under the command of Captain of the First Rank, Oleksandr Vyacheslav Tolmachov. They claimed their arrival was due to the security of the autonomous region of Crimea, to deny access to armament and weapons for extremists.

         After inquiries and negotiations, these personnel positioned themselves at a distance of 25 meters, on the left and the right, from the security checkpoint entrance of the armed forces. At the same time, it was noticed that snipers were also set up at this distance.

 

         At 11:00, the Ukrainian Armed Forces base for Aviation was also blockaded in the autonomous region of Crimea.

         At approximately 13:00, at the checkpoint for the 1^st and 3^rd division of the Missile-Specialty brigade (located at point Fiolent), there arrived an ‘Eagle’ automobile, from which issued 21 armed soldiers from the 810^th Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet (which was now based at the ‘Kozacha’ bay in the city of Sevastopol), who were armed with automatic weapons. These men conferred with the appointed officials of the Security of the autonomous region of Crimea.

         Also on the 28^th, at 14:45, soldiers of the Russian Federation (transported in KAMAZ vehicles), blockaded the security checkpoint entrance to the Missile Specialty command station in the city of Yevpatoriya, and other locations. During conversation with officials of the Missile Specialty command station, the senior official of the Russian Federation soldiers explained that their presence was due to a need to protect all Ukrainian Armed Forces within the autonomous region of Crimea from the onslaught of ‘radicals.’

         A KAMAZ vehicle arrived at the aviation repair station in the city of Yevpatoriya, and drove to the area for departures/arrivals of planes, where it has remained, blocking air traffic. No one has issued from the vehicle. The amount of personnel contained within is unknown.

         In the city of Dzhankoi, by the security checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces division A1387, there is a blockade of approximately 10-15 men and a KAMAZ vehicle, which are ready at any moment to block the movement of anyone issuing from the base. According to the commanding official of the blockade, they belong to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

 

         In the morning on February 28^th, 2014, a small rocket-carrier ship “Ivanovets” of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation stopped at a distance of 5 sea miles from the beach near the Balaklavskaya point, as though because of engine trouble.

 

         On February 28^th, 2014, at 15:38 Kyivan time, 4 IL-76 planes of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (2 based in Pskov, 2 based in Tahanroh), illegally crossed the Ukrainian border, and landed between 16:06 & 16:26 at the Hvardiske airport in the city of Simferopol of the autonomous region of Crimea.

         The planes flew with an escort (of up to 10 airborne vehicles, type unknown) undercover between heights of 900-5000 meters.

         According to the technical characteristics of an IL-76 plane,  one plane can transport up to 225 men, or a cargo of 3 tanks, a capacity not exceeding 45 tons.

         The border control agent of the Hvardiske airport was informed by the Russian Federation that the latter had no use for the former and that they would not be adhering to the protocol of the Ukrainian borders, and would be landing every 15 minutes.

         By 18:45 there were 6 planes that had already landed, and 2 more were arranging landings.

         Because of the violation of the national borders of Ukraine, the Russian factions were told to explain themselves & their presence, and to stop these hostile actions toward Ukraine.

 

Around 150 military members of the Russian Armed Forces without clear identification arrived at the airport "Simferopol" and started patrolling area adjacent to the VIP-zone.

 

On February 28, 2014 over a dozen of Russian military helicopters crossed the Ukrainian border. Only three helicopters had application filed by the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and were processed at the airport. Other helicopters that passed Ukrainian border, did it illegally.

 

On March 1, 2014 armed military ( arrived on the cars "Ural") blocked the airfield of the State Research Testing Center "Kirov".  On March 1, at 1:00 am around 20 military cars Ural and Tiger appeared at the airport Kirovske. Armed soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation entered the control station, made the personnel lay the floor, seized mobile telephones and brought down communications equipment and radio equipment.

 

On March 1, at 10:55 am, 100 soldiers of the Armed Forces penetrated radar company (Yevpatoria) and made all personnel gather in the barracks.

 

Armed units of the Armed Forces came to another radar unit (Mys Mehan), blocked the work of all radio equipment and sealed storage room with the weapon. 

 

Aviation airfield of the Kommandantur Djankoi has been captured by the military of the Armed Forces.

 

204-th brigade of the tactical aviation (airfield Belbek) has been by blocked by the military of the Armed Forces, who issued an ultimatum to either surrender and move to the side of the Armed Forces or leave the territory of the military unit without weapons.      

 

At 10:40 am, military car KAMAZ with military of the Armed Forces of the RF came to the Control and Legal Department of the Evpatoria Artillery Regiment and blocked its exit.

 

In most of the aforementioned cases, the official notes were sent to the Russian side demanding to stop all illegal actions.

 

At the same time, mass media stations report that on February 26, 2014 Russia conducted “sudden” exercises of Western and Central Military District of the Armed Forces of Russia, involving units of the Airborne Troops. Given that such military actions require concurring to the Vienna Document,   confidence and security building measures, Russian Federation spread the message CBM/RU/14/0018/F25/O via Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe which confirms holding military exercises and training.

 

Russian side states that the exercise will last from February 26^th to March 3^rd (returning to the permanent location points on March 7, 2014). Total number of the troops involved - up to 38 000. In addition, up to 760 battle tanks, up to 1200 armored combat vehicles, up to 720 artillery systems and system of salvo fire, up to 130 helicopters will take part in the military test.

 

Coming from the information provided by the Russian side, troops involved in the exercise, and phases of the exercise, it cannot be excluded that military troops are currently being formed at the Ukrainian border, which is a cause for serious concern.  According to the aforementioned information, channels of the OSCE, the message was sent to the RF requesting to explain the reason for the military exercise as well as the regions of the exercises. According to the Vienna Document, Russian side has to provide the answer during next 48 hours, i.e.  March 2, 2014.