In particular, between March 20 and March 24, 2014, the 25^th Independent Coastal Mobile Rocket Battalion (Cape Fiolent), the military unit A1100 (Novofedorivka village), the 204^th Olexander Pokryshkin Sevastopol Brigade of Tactical Aviation (Belbek village), the 1^st Independent Marine Battalion of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (city of Feodosia) were seized by force. Russian servicemen have also seized vessels of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular, Genichesk harbor minesweeper, Chernigiv ocean minesweeper, Kostiantyn Olshansky and Kirovograd combat ships, Vinnitsya, Lutsk, Khmelnitsky and Ternopil corvettes, Slavutych and Donbas command ships, Zaporizhya submarine and others.

Ukraine is especially alarmed by the facts of physical violence and psychological pressure on servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and apprehension (abduction) of some of them.

In particular, Deputy Commander of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Head of Department of Coastal Defense Major General Igor Voronchenko was abducted, Commander Viacheslav Demianenko and Tactical Aviation Brigade Commander Yuri Mamchur were apprehended. The said persons are held against their will at sites controlled by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Ukraine resolutely condemns aggressive actions by the armed forces of Russia in the territory of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea aimed at provoking armed incidents and escalation of conflict in Crimea, and demands from the Russian Federation to release the apprehended servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, halt piracy acts against vessels of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, withdraw the Russian armed forces from the territory of Ukraine and begin a dialogue to resolve the crisis situation around the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

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