The Crimea, an integral part of Ukraine, is being occupied by foreign troops.

On March 16, 2014, the developments were characterized by the following:

Attempt of separatist forces to conduct an operation, aimed at causing violence on the streets of eastern Ukraine and creating justification for Russia’s encroachment in these regions

• In Lugansk, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Kharkiv pro-Russian forces have held small rallies, with number of participants not exceeding 1-2 thousands
• In Kherson, similar rally has failed, as Ukraine law enforcement forces have intercepted a column of 13 cars with Russian nationals who were heading there with the aim of organizing it
• In Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian police has intercepted and detained a suspicious car with arsenal of weapons and Russian symbolics in its trunk
• In Zaporizhia, Security Service of Ukraine have detained a group of heavily armed Russian nationals who planned on causing provocations in eastern Ukraine
• In Donetsk, extremist forces, consisting mostly of Russian nationals, have seized the buildings of Security Service and Prosecutor’s Office
• In Kharkiv, pro-Russian radicals have attacked the office of “Prosvita” organization

Illegal “referendum” in Crimea, unlawful activities of separatist forces and “puppet government”, intimidation and crimes against local population of the peninsula

• Mass falsification of the results and turnout numbers of the “referendum”
• Arrival of neostalinists, ultranationalists and Holocaust-deniers to Crimea as observers of the “referendum”
• Numerous instances of Russian nationals voting during “referendum”
• In Alushta, journalists of “Al-Jazeera” network have been forced out of polling station and physically harassed
• In different Crimean cities, three Greek-Catholics priests have disappeared and their whereabouts are unknown
• In Simferopol, so-called “self-defense” forces have seized and robbed the base of fuel and lubricant preservation
• Near Simferopol, so-called “self-defense” forces have attacked “Red Cross” medics and robbed them
• In Bilogorsk, a dead body of Crimean Tatar national was found

Extension of Russia’s military presence on the peninsula, increase in number of Russian troops on eastern and northern border of Ukraine

• In Crimea, the number of Russian troops exceeds 21,000, whereas on the borders with Ukraine there are at least 60,000
• In Sevastopol, Russian armed forces have blocked Ukraine’s military hospital
• At least 54 armored personnel carriers are engaged in Russia’s military exercises on the territory of Crimea
• In Feodosia, Russian military have surrounded a division of Ukraine’s Armed Forces with mines

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