Report: Russia demanding Ukrainian military leave Crimea or face ‘military storm’

3/2/14
 
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from CNN,
3/3/14:

Russia has issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in the Crimea to clear out by 5 a.m. Tuesday or face a “military storm,” according to Russian state-run news agency Interfax, which cited a Ukrainian Defense Ministry source.

Aleksandr Vitko, Russia’s Black Sea fleet commander, said that “ff they won’t surrender by 5 a.m. tomorrow (10 p.m. ET Monday) there will be a military storm on all UA (Ukraine Armed) military forces all over Crimea,” Interfax reported, citing a source in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

A Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman, Vladislav Seleznyov, told CNN that members of the Russian military are going to Ukrainian military bases in Crimea and demanding surrender. The Russian troops are threatening “harsh reaction” if the Ukrainians don’t comply, Seleznyov said.

Ukraine Security Service spokesman Petro Tymchyshyn said there that Ukraine is not aware of any official Russian ultimatum.

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