Ukrainian Soldier 'Killed' as Troops Storm Simferopol Base

By Reuters

"Reuters"- Ukraine's military says a base in Crimea has been stormed with one serviceman killed, following Russia's signing of a treaty to incorporate Crimea. The Ukrainian premier says the crisis has now become a military one.

Troops stormed a Ukrainian base on the outskirts of Simferopol on Tuesday, according to a Ukrainian military spokesman.

One Ukrainian officer was initially reported to have been wounded in the neck. The Interfax and Reuters news agencies reported that a soldier had been killed.

Kyiv, which blamed Russia for the attack, authorized Ukrainian troops to use weapons if necessary to defend themselves.

A reporter for the AFP news agency said a burst of gunfire had been heard from a Ukrainian military unit in a suburb northeast of Simferopol. Two ambulances were seen driving into the area.

Immediately after the incident, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said the conflict had moved from a political to a military stage.

"Today, Russian soldiers began shooting at Ukrainian servicemen," said Yatseniuk. "This is a war crime."

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty with Crimean leaders that made the region part of the Russian Federation.

A crowd in Red Square chanted "Russia" and "Putin" after the treaty was signed. Putin addressed them later telling them Russia had returned to "home port."

"Crimea and Sevastapol are returning home to their home shores, to their home port, to Russia," he said.

Ukraine's interim President Oleksandr Turchynov has said Kyiv will never recognize the move.

rc/ccp (AP, AFP, Reuters)

2 killed in shooting near Crimea military research center, sniper suspected

By RT

"RT"- Two people – a self-defense member and a Ukrainian soldier – have been killed and two others wounded after a suspected sniper opened fire in two directions from a partially inhabited building near a military research center in Simferopol.

As RT producer Lida Vasilevskaya arrived on the scene, the perimeter of the Ukrainian military topography and navigation center had already been surrounded by men in camouflage and the situation was "calm".

Только что этот центр оцепили, но что случилось не понятно pic.twitter.com/XxZ2FClzfk

— Lida Vasilevskaya (@Vasilevskaya_RT) March 18, 2014

The Kryminform news agency, citing an unnamed local police source, reports shooting came from a house under construction opposite the center and targeted Crimean self-defense units as well the military center itself.

“Earlier today self-defense units were informed that a group of armed men had been discovered in a partially inhabited building,” a source from the ministry said. “As they were taking measures to check, self-defense units came under fire. One man was killed, one wounded,” the source explained, adding that shooting came “in two directions from one spot”.

The Kryminform source claimed another man from the military center was wounded.

RT’s producer contacted staff inside the military center, who confirmed that the shooting did take place and came from a nearby house under construction. At the same time, the man had no information on the casualties.

Meanwhile, multiple reports that a Ukrainian serviceman died in the incident are unconfirmed by our crew at the scene.

Earlier, Ukrainian servicemen told RT that last night unknown groups tried to break into several military bases, but self-defense units managed to prevent them from entering.

“Guys from self-defense told me today that they were afraid of provocations," Lida Vasilevskaya tweeted.

Kryminform’s police source did not rule out a provocation aimed at complicating the situation in the city after Crimea and Sevastopol were accepted into the Russian Federation.

An attack by Russians on a Ukrainian military base TODAY makes no sense whatsoever. Think about it for a moment

— Alexey Yaroshevsky (@Yaro_RT) March 18, 2014

Despite lack of verified details of what exactly happened in Simferopol, and a stream of conflicting reports, Kiev immediately claimed “Russian soldiers started shooting at Ukrainian servicemen”.

“This is a war crime without any statute of limitations," coup-appointed Prime-Minister Yatsenyuk told a meeting at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

In another immediate reaction to the accident, acting President Aleksandr Turchinov authorized Ukrainian troops stationed in Crimea to use firearms to“defend their lives."

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