- .Dozen Russian soldiers fired warning shots at unarmed Ukrainian troops
- .Standoff took place as 300 Ukrainian soldiers marched to Belbek air base
- .The Ukrainians were employed at air base before Russians seized control
- .Stand-off comes as both Russia and Ukraine send warships towards Crimea
- .Head of Ukraine's security service says cyber attacks have also taken place
- .Valentyn Nalivaichenko blames illegal telecommunications equipment he says was installed in the Crimea by Russian forces over the weekend
- .Vladimir Putin says he can not rule out moving troops further into Ukraine
- .Said if Russian-speakers ask for help, Moscow will use 'all means' to do so
By JOHN HALL
Russian troops in control of the Belbek air base in Crimea fired warning shots into the air as around 300 Ukrainian soldiers, who previously manned the airfield, demanded their jobs back.
About a dozen Russian soldiers at the base warned the Ukrainians, who were marching unarmed, not to approach.
They fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the Ukrainians if they continued to advance.
Hold fire: A Russian soldier restrains a colleague after he fired his weapon into the air and screamed orders to turn back at an approaching group of unarmed Ukrainian troops
Stand-off: A Russian soldier prepares to fire his weapon as around 300 Ukrainian troops, led by Colonel Yuli Mamchor (pictured centre on the right-hand image), march towards Belbek air base to demand their jobs back
Bullet casings can be seen flying into the air as a Russian soldier fires warning shots at the Ukrainian troops
The Russian soldiers prepare to fire their weapons as the Ukrainian troops continue to advance towards them
Outnumbered: The dozen Russian troops (right) fired several warning shots into the air and said they would shoot the 300 Ukrainian soldiers (left) if they continued to march toward them
Stop: This Russian soldier is believed to have ordered the unarmed Ukrainian troops to stop advancing towards them or he would shoot
Shots fired: Shortly after the soldier is seen firing warning shots into the air as his fellow Russians troops point their guns at the unarmed Ukrainian soldiers
The Ukrainian forces are believed to be led by Colonel Yuli Mamchor, commander of the Ukrainian military garrison at Belbek, who was seen speaking to gun-wielding Russian troops at the air base.
The stand-off comes as Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of Russian troops participating in military exercises near Ukraine's border to return to their base.
But the Russian president showed no signs of loosening the stranglehold on the Crimean peninsula, openly defying the threat of diplomatic and economic sanctions from world leaders.
He later described events in Ukraine as an 'anti-constitutional coup and armed seizure of power' at a press conference this morning, adding that 'militants' had plunged the country into 'chaos'.
Putin added that there is currently no need for Russian troops to extend further into Ukraine than Crimea, but he has not ruled out doing so.
Russia reserves the right to use 'all means' to protect citizens in Ukraine, he told a news conference.
Putin added that if Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine asked for help, then Moscow would respond, saying: 'If we see this anarchy beginning in the eastern regions we reserve the right to use all means'.
He also insisted that that ousted Viktor Yanukovych was still the legitimate president of Ukraine, accused the West of encouraging the street protests that had ousted him, and added that Yanukovych would have been killed without Russia's help.
Ukrainian troops come face-to-face with armed Russians. A senior Ukrainian soldier (centre) tells the troops behind him to halt amid threats they are going to be shot if they continue marching
Location: Belbek is in the south west corner of the Crimean peninsula, close to the port city of Sevastopol
A Russian soldier points an RPG at unarmed Ukrainians as they march towards Belbek air base
Threat: About a dozen Russian soldiers (pictured) have been stationed at the base since the weekend. They warned the advancing Ukrainians, who were marching unarmed, not to approach them
Dispute: Ukraine has effectively lost control of the Crimean peninsula and admits it has 'no military options' to make Moscow withdraw from the region
Communications: The outnumbered Russian soldiers appear to be taking orders via mobile phones as the 300 unarmed Ukrainian troops approach
Not getting through: Armed Russian soldiers block the path as Ukrainian troops march towards Belbek air base
Ukraine's new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will meet EU leaders on Thursday ahead of an emergency summit the same day on the crisis in his country, EU President Herman Van Rompuy said.
EU leaders 'will discuss situation in Ukraine with PM Yatsenyuk in Brussels Thursday prior to extraordinary summit,' Van Rompuy said on Twitter this morning.
Earlier in the day, two Russian warships on their way to Crimea passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus straits.
The Saratov and Yamal warships, which are usually based in the Mediterranean, were seen sailing unaccompanied through the Marmara Sea before entering the straits at around 7.30am local time.
At the same time as the Russian warships headed towards the Crimea, a Ukrainian ship called 'Hetman Sahaidachny entered the straits at Canakkale in Turkey.
The head of Ukraine's security service also this morning suggested the country has come under a number of cyber attacks from illegal telecommunications equipment installed in Crimea since Russian troops moved into the region.
Valentyn Nalivaichenko said the mobile phones of lawmakers had been hit by the cyber attacks.
The Kremlin, which does not recognise the new Ukrainian leadership, insists it made the move to protect millions of Russians living in the region, with Moscow's UN envoy adding that ousted president Viktor Yanukovych had asked the country to send troops across the border.
Ukraine has effectively lost control of the Crimean peninsula and admits it has ‘no military options’ to make Moscow withdraw.
Earlier this morning, two Russian warships on their way to Crimea passed through Istanbul's Bosphorus straits
The Saratov and Yamal warships, which are usually based in the Mediterranean, were seen sailing unaccompanied through the Marmara Sea before entering the straits at around 7.30am local time
Although the Russian president has kept his silence on the crisis, his foreign minister said Russian troops were protecting people from ‘ultra-nationalist threats’ and would be staying put.
Justifying military action, Sergei Lavrov said: ‘This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots, ensuring human rights, especially the right to life.’
The disclosure of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych's support for Russian military intervention was made at the third emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council since Friday.
Moscow's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin told a Security Council meeting Yanukovych wrote to Putin on Saturday requesting Russian troops be sent into Ukraine.
It came amid fears that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in pro-Russian eastern Ukraine.
Russia faced demands from almost all council members to pull its troops out of Crimea and got no support for its military action from close ally China.
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