Unknown gunmen take over Crimea capital airport – reports

A group of armed men in military uniforms have seized Simferopol international airport in the capital of Crimea, Interfax reports. According to eyewitnesses at least three KamAZ trucks without license plates drove to the airport with about 50 armed men. They are reportedly equipped similar to the group of local ethnic Russian ‘self-defense squads’ that had taken control of and raised Russian flags over the buildings of the Crimean parliament and government in the region’s capital.

rt.com...

wow things be getting serious now, hope everyone can keep a level head

reply to post by canucks555


Well NATO and friends shouldn't provoke the bear with a Proxy war and a missile defense surroundment. If it ain't intended to threaten Russia and they were genuinely friends, why is Russia excluded from participation? Again don't poke the bear!

Just to add this just got out.

Editor's note: We're monitoring reports that armed men have occupied the Simferopol airport in Crimea, Ukraine. An airport employee was quoted saying the airport is operating normally - Jillian

www.breakingnews.com...


Just wish all go well for the civilian who will be in the middle of the fire if hell break.

reply to post by canucks555


Are these 'gunmen' Spetsnaz? Because that wouldn't really surprise me

reply to post by canucks555


Well there were threats today by the newly "appointed" supposed government of Ukraine in the Kiev. Direct threats were made that they would not allow the fracturing of the Ukraine and would use the force of the Ukranian armed services. I am sure it is an offensive move to not allow any unfriendly forces into Cremia.

Not meaning to go to far off topic here but I just stumbled upon this at Al Jazeera.
It looks as though unmarked APC's are heading towards another part of the city Simferopol.
The blog reports that locals claim the armor is from the Black Sea Fleet which I assume means that Russia has marines on the ground?


live.aljazeera.com...


Edit:
Those APC's look like BTR-80's and Ukrainian marine divisions are equipped with them, so it could be Ukrainian Marines too.

A Ukrainian Marine BTR-80

There news.yahoo.com...;_ylt=AwrBJR9B8Q9TQk0AQ.fQtDMD

Gunmans seen but the airport run as normal ...

Reporter: Simferopol airport in Crimea, Ukraine, operating normally after reports it was occupied by gunmen; approximately a dozen unidentified armed men seen at airport perimeter - @AFP

Well, it seems they left now, and said they were sorry about going there.

news.yahoo.com...

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) — Dozens of armed men in Russian-marked military uniforms occupied an airport in the capital of Ukraine's strategic Crimea region early Friday, a report said, but a later report cited an airport official as saying the men apologized and left after finding no Ukrainian troops had landed.

I guess they were thinking some Ukrainian troops would be landing there? It looks like they were from the pro-Russia side to.

Witnesses told the Interfax news agency that the 50 or so men were wearing the same gear as the ones who seized government buildings in the city, Simferopol, on Thursday and raised the Russian flag. The report said the men with "Russian Navy ensigns" first surrounded the Simferopol Airport's domestic flights terminal.

The article then goes on to talk about the pro-Russian forces that took over the Parliament building in Simferopol with RPG, rifles, etc.... And nobody really knows who they were.

But it seems the guys at the airport maybe got wrong information and said "oops!" After they went inside.

starwarsisreal
reply to post by canucks555

 

Are these 'gunmen' Spetsnaz? Because that wouldn't really surprise me

edit on 27-2-2014 by starwarsisreal because: (no reason given)

Spetznas was caught within the police ranks during the attacks on protestors in Kyiv.

His insignia was removed and paraded around to show that there was direct russian involvement.


Yes, Ukraine has every right to use its armed forces to maintain its borders. This has nothing to do with Russia. Russia has signed in the past an agreement to respect Ukraine current borders no matter what.

Would be a big mistake invading Ukraine/Crimea......Ukraine has EU andWestern backing, thats th difference between it and the Georgia scenario many refer to in various threads.

The two cannot be compared....Ukraine is ready to repel......Russia will not walk away without a bloodied nose.

Spetsnaz on the ground ? Not a suprise.

Yesterday armed, unkown troops who acted "very professionaly" took control of the central government building.

Today, the same troops have taken control of the airport..now they can insert more special forces rapidly when needed without meeting resistence?
Now they've gone saying - "sorry, it was a mistake" ?? A mistake, NO. A dry run more like.

Now they know where everything is, how many men and how long. With the aiport under control they have a rapid insertion zone under control for special forces.

I think it is on and crackin'.

here