By Arsen Avakov
28/02/2014 08:39 Facebook status update
Translated by Anna Danilova
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Crimea. I report the situation by the end of the night, so as not to feed rumours:

1. Belbeck Airport. It is blocked by military units of the Russian Navy fleet. Inside the airport are military and border guards of Ukraine. Outside – in military camouflage with a gun without any identification marks, though they do not hide their affiliation. The airport doesn’t work. On the outer perimeter are Ukrainian MIA positions. For the moment there is no armed conflict.

2. Simferopol Airport. About midnight a group of around 100 people in civilian clothes, who called themselves a Cossack Squad, reached the airfield, breaking the fence on the airport grounds.

Forces of the Internal troops and police forced these people back first to the airport building, and then outside of its territory. Weapons have not been used. Around 1 a.m. “Cossacks” left the airport area – they boarded canvased trucks and left. Around 1:30 a.m. 119 military with automatic weapons in unmarked camouflage arrived by several trucks to the airport building. They entered the building and took positions inside the restaurant. They do not hide their affiliation to the armed forces of the Russian Federation. In answer to the questions of the Ukrainian MIA staff, that: “You’re the military and do not have the right to be here”, their short answer is – we do not have instructions to negotiate with you. The situation is static, weapons from both sides have not been used. The Russian military are overseeing the work of the airport in a static way and not interfering directly.

Internal troops and Ukrainain MIA forces strengthened duty details in the airport area. The tension is increasing.
Regular law-and-order forces will not be able withstand regular military forces.

I reckon this situation to be ARMED INVASION AND OCCUPATION. IN VIOLATION OF ALL INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND REGULATIONS. This is a direct provocation of armed bloodshed in the territory of a sovereign state.This is outside the competence of MIA [Ministry of Internal Affairs]. It is for the competence of NSDC [National Security and Defence Concil].

For the moment there is no direct armed clash, diplomats must talk.