Crimea Still Hotting Up

The situation in Crimea continues to hot up, Glavnoe has been told by the Information Resistance group. 

“Events in Crimea are unfolding in a way that’s far from ideal for Ukraine. We were hoping that the occupiers would reduce their activity ahead of the arrival in Crimea of representatives of the international community. That has not happened,” the group says.

“The blockaded headquarters of the Ukrainian navy in Sebastopol has run out of water and food. This morning [March 5] the Russian invaders prevented a commercial firm contracted by the Ukrainian defence ministry from bringing in foodstuff. The headquarters is not a military base, so it does not maintain stores. The report states that people have reached their limits.

“Meanwhile, Sebastopol TV is ramping up broadcasts of disinformation to the effect that the head of Ukraine’s navy is threatening 15 years’ imprisonment for anyone thinking of surrendering to the enemy. That is even though there have been meetings across the Ukrainian navy at which sailors and officers resolved unanimously to hold out to the last. No one is stopping anyone who wants to betray the oath to the people of Ukraine, but there is no one who wants to do so.”

“The Ukrainian military effectively controls only the headquarters of its anti-aircraft and radar units – the bases are occupied by the enemy. In some places they have begun putting radar equipment out of action, but there are new instructions to preserve and guard whatever is left.

“In Eupatoria, attempts were made to force our air defence troops to unpack their equipment and take part in “joint airspace control” over Crimea, but they refused to do so.

“Information has just come in that as part of an ongoing rotation of the occupying force in Crimea, the Russians are bringing in air defence specialists of various kinds. Since the Ukrainian and Russian armed forces effectively use identical weapons – the Buk missile system – the Russian specialists will find it easy to use Ukrainian weapons.

“News that 60 tanks are being brought in from Russia has now been confirmed. Sebastopol is being prepared to land heavy armoured vehicles as is Kerch. The occupiers are preparing landing points for tanks by laying concrete slabs at Kazachya Bukhta [Sebastopol],” the group reports.

This article republished from Glavnoe.ua with kind permission. Original article in Russian.