Reuters is reporting that Belbek, one of the last military facilities in Crimea still under Ukrainian control, is now under the control of Russian troops, who smashed through the gate with an armored personnel carrier.
https://twitter.com/AnonBig/status/447413369234931712
The gate to Belbek is now down after being smashed by an APC http://t.co/7QeNzNDeyR #Crimea
— Peter Leonard (@Peter__Leonard) March 22, 2014
Belbek: Shots reportedly fired into the air and stun grenades fired, Ukrainian forces are putting down their weapons.
— Peter Leonard (@Peter__Leonard) March 22, 2014
Roland Oliphant is The Telegraph’s Moscow correspondent.
Four shots fired. Stopped around corner from front gate. APC visible
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Ukrainians parade sing national anthem.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Well that seems to be all over. No one seriously injured as far as we know. Lots of self defence nasties still not letting us in
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Something burning on the far side of the base. Maybe a building
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
#Russia forces at Belbek base searching every media team for memory cards, confiscating them. Want no traces of this dramatic afternoon.
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) March 22, 2014
Turns out the Russians searched every hack who was inside and confiscated any memory card they could find.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Just spent 20 minutes being monstered by thugs, some drunk. Unhurt, but pretty fed up. Most unpleasant encounter of this whole business.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Col Yuli Mamchur has been arrested, his wife just told me.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Col. Yuliy Mamchur is, or was, the commander of the Ukrainian base.
#Mamchur gave emotional speech to his men at #Belbek base.Then broke into the #Ukraine national anthem. pic.twitter.com/Kb2RVLpi6Q @MarquardtA
— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) March 22, 2014
Col. Mamchur reportedly taken prisoner by Russians in Belbek. Wonder if Putin'll bring him to Kremlin like Alexander II did with Imam Shamil
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 22, 2014
OK, cameramen are cunning buggers. I think lots of memory cards escaped.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Does anyone know why the brain dead "self defence" auxiliaries who do the grunt work for the Russians don't know what a newspaper is?
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
"what TV station you from"? I'm not from a TV station. I work for a newspaper. "oh." Cue aggressive lecture about Ukraine Channel 5 lies.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
"Show me what you filmed/delete it/give me your memory card." 1. Why should I? 2. "I WORK FOR A BLOODY NEWSPAPER."
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Thug: "gimme your memory card" @SimonOstrovsky "you've been drinking." Thug: "No I haven't." SO: "yes you have" Thug: "yeah but only beer."
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
Ukraine newswrap. #Belbek base storming and other things. http://t.co/1EeKonk6q9
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) March 22, 2014
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