Ukraine's Arsen Avakov accuses Russia of 'armed invasion'

The Minister wrote on Facebook:

 "Crimea. A report on last night’s situation to avoid rumours:

1. Airport Belbek is blocked by the Russian fleet. Ukrainian soldiers and frontier guards are inside. Soldiers wearing uniform without tokens are outside. However, they are not hiding their nationality. The airport is closed. Posts of the Ukrainian MIA are installed on the outer perimeter. No armed clashes have occurred so far.

2. Simferopol Airport.  A group of 100 people in plain clothes calling themselves Cossacks climbed over the airport fence and reached the the airfield at about 12 a.m.

The police and soldiers drove them away to the building of the airport and then out of the airport. No weapons were used. “The Cossacks” left the territory at about 1 a.m.

119 Soldiers wearing uniform without tokens arrived at the airport by trucks at about 1.30 a.m. They entered the airport and quartered at the restaurant. They are not hiding their nationality – soldiers of the Russian Army. Ukrainian MIA members told them that military men did not have any right to stay there but they replied that they had not been instructed to negotiate with them. The situation is static – both sides are not using their weapons. The Russian soldiers are watching the work of the airport without interfering into it. The Ukrainian MIA has strengthened its forces near the airport. The tension is increasing.

The police cannot resist regular the regular army.

I consider the events an ARMED INTERVENTION AND OCCUPATION VIOLATING ALL INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND NORMS. It is a direct provocation of bloodshed on the territory of a sovereign state.  

It is outside the competence of the MIA. It is in the competence of the National Security and Defence Council. Diplomats should speak before armed clashes occur.”

Photo: social networks