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It doesn't look as if it is going the Kiev regime's way. But don't worry Uncle Sam is sending in the cavalry - in the form of John Kerry.
Five
top military, security commanders take oath to Crimea
A
number of high ranking Ukrainian military and security officials in
Crimea have sworn their allegiance to the Autonomous Republic of
Crimea, as Simferopol pushes for its autonomy from the self-imposed
government in Kiev.
RT,
2 March, 2014
Earlier
rear admiral Denis Berezovsky swore allegiance to the people of
Crimea taking control over Crimea's newly formed Navy.
The
ceremony took place in the Council of Ministers chamber in the
presence of regional government officials, mayors of different cities
and regions.
Those
who took the oath promised “to respect and strictly observe the
Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea” and to “promote
the preservation of interethnic accord and civil peace” on the
peninsula.
"I
believe that this day will go down in history of the Autonomous
Republic of Crimea as the day that all law enforcement agencies were
established in the autonomy,” The region's Prime Minister Sergey
Aksyonov announced. “We will prove that the Crimeans are capable of
protecting themselves and ensure the safety and freedom of our
citizens.”
Aksyonov
also added that other authority figures are willing to swear
allegiance to the people of the Crimea in the near future. “Up to
now, 90 per cent of all law enforcement agencies in the territory of
the autonomy are subordinated to the Supreme Council of Crimea. And
this work will be completed by us tonight,” Aksyonov told the
regional parliament.
Aksyonov
also said that a new Defense Ministry will soon be created for the
autonomous Crimea
“In
the near future, as part of the Council of Ministers of the
Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a new ministry – the Ministry of
Defence will be created. I am sure that such a ministry will be vital
for us, based on the principle of ‘If you want peace - prepare for
war.’”
The
Prime Minister of Crimea also noted that self-defense squads are
guarding the Crimean prosecutor's office, where a new acting
prosecutor will be presented for the regional parliament for approval
on Monday. The issue with the Court of Appeal will also be discussed
on Monday.
Chief
of the Border Guards of Crimea Victor Melnichenko
“Today
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is formed as an independent,
integral public authority,” said Aksyonov. "I am sure that all
of us will prove that we did not just come into power and that we can
give Crimeans what they expect from us”
The
prime minister admitted that a number of outstanding issues must be
dealt with in the Crimea and the development of a common strategy is
to take place at the next Council of Ministers of Crimea meeting
scheduled for March 4.
In an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta Aksyonov promised to create a stable state in Crimea by May.
“We will never see ‘Maidan’ with their black smoke and burned tires here,” the Crimean leader said. "I responsibly promise that Crimea by May will be calm, quiet, friendly. People of all nationalities will live here happily.”
Ukrainian troops dispatched in Crimea switch to region’s side – sources
Ukrainian armed forces dispatched to Crimea have switched to the side of local authorities and are expected to take military oath soon, Russian news agencies report.
RT,
2
March, 2013
“Today
the majority of the Ukrainian armed forces deployed in Crimea passed
to the side of the authorities of the Crimean autonomous region. The
transition was absolutely peaceful, without a single shot fired
either by the military or by the forces of self-defense,” an
unnamed source told RIA Novosti news agency.
The
source added that some of the servicemen also ran away, while some
submitted letters of resignation.
The
local military have not been paid for many months, the source also
told RIA Novosti.
Newly
appointed Navy Chief rear admiral Denis Berezovsky has sworn
allegiance to the people of Crimea, the news agency reported.
“I,
Berezovsky Denis, swear allegiance to the Crimean people and pledge
to protect it, as required by the [army] regulations,” he said.
Командующий ВМС Украины Денис Березовский присягнул на верность народу Крыма (ФОТО @KSHN)
Earlier,
Ukrainian troops in Crimea were said to be resigning on a massive
scale. Living quarters, weapons and ammunition have all been left
under the protection of the so-called ‘self-defense forces.’
Letters
of resignation have been coming in since early morning, as the
self-defense forces continue to preserve order on the streets of
Simferopol, RIA Novosti said citing own reporters on the ground.
Since
Thursday, the city’s Supreme Council and a number of other
buildings have been occupied and guarded by the self-defense forces
run by the local population.
Crimea’s
deputy prime minister, Rustam Temirgaliev, announced that the
Ukrainian armed forces have all but surrendered their military
capabilities and that no active units remain in the Crimea.
"The
entire Ukrainian armed forces stationed on the Crimean territory have
been blocked," Interfax reported him as saying. "The
self-defense forces have taken control of the landing strips of all
the Crimean airports and airfields."
The
deputy PM said that that the region’s security services and
emergency services now report to the local government.
Crimeans
began protesting after the new self-imposed government in Kiev
introduced a law abolishing the use of other languages for official
documents in Ukraine. More than half the Crimean population are
Russian and use only this language for their communication. The
residents have announced they are going to hold a referendum on March
30 to determine the fate of the Ukrainian autonomous region
Sort
out who’s boss in Kiev, Crimea takes care of itself – republic’s
parliament speaker
RT,
2
March, 2014
Ukraine’s
autonomous republic of Crimea wants Kiev to stay out of its business,
and put its own house in order first, the Crimean parliament speaker
has said, adding that local authorities can meanwhile take care of
local business.
“You
in Kiev sort it out between yourselves, and we will deal with the
republic’s problems,”
Vladimir Konstantinov told a news conference.
The
top priority for Crimean authorities is to hold a referendum on
whether it should have greater autonomy, the speaker said. Such a
referendum has been scheduled for March 30.
Konstantinov
said the self-proclaimed government in Kiev discredited itself by
breaking an agreement it signed with ousted President Viktor
Yanukovich. It started chaos in the country and is busy abruptly
changing legislation instead of calming down the situation.
“The
situation in southeastern Ukraine is very tense. People are trying to
protect themselves. We all know what that Nazi gang [in Kiev] is
capable of. I am sorry that respectable politicians in Kiev decided
to settle their scores with the help of that terrible force,”
he said.
Most
of the Crimean law enforcement and military share this point of view,
Konstantinov said. They also support the local self-defense forces,
who are basically people who were scared for their lives and their
families in the wake of the violence in Kiev and the anti-Russian
gestures of the new authorities.
Konstantinov
said Crimea would give asylum to anyone persecuted elsewhere in
Ukraine for their political views and beliefs.
The
speaker advised Kiev against using force to attempt to take control
of Crimea or any other region resisting it. He said such a move would
end with the new authorities having no region to call their own in
Ukraine.
He
thanked Russia for agreeing to help Crimea in a difficult situation.
“We
turned to Russia for help in ensuring law and order, and providing
financial aid in this difficult period. This request was granted. Now
a working group in Moscow is talking about the technical details of
this issue,”
Konstantinov said.
The
speaker declined to identify armed men in uniforms without insignia,
who had been guarding key locations in Crimea for several days. Kiev
alleges these are units of the Russian military invading Ukraine.
Konstantinov
said that Crimea was part of “the Russian world” and does not
welcome NATO. He also stressed that despite this pro-Russian leaning,
the people of Crimea don’t have problems with Ukrainians, but have
problems with radical nationalists and neo-Nazis, who played a big
role in ousting President Yanukovich.
The
speaker said the Crimea needs self-governance by an inclusive
government, which would take into consideration the interests of all
its people, be they Ukrainians, Russians or Tatars. The latter groups
are a substantial minority in Crimea, and local Russians, being a
minority in the whole of Ukraine, can sympathize with the Tatars,
Konstantinov said.
“We
are prepared to offer Crimean Tatars a level of authority that they
never had before,”
he said.
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