The disconnect between Kyiv and Ukrainian military forces on the ground in Crimea was highlighted today with two telephone conversations broadcast in the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center in Kyiv's Ukraina Hotel.
While Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turchynov and the Defense Ministry said that orders have been given to evacuate some 25,000 military personnel from Crimea, it still remains unclear where they will be deployed on the mainland and where their families will be moved.
The fate of several high-level military commanders detained by Russian forces and whether soldiers will be able to honorably surrender by carrying firearms also remains an unanswered question.
Vladyslav Seleznyov, Ministry of Defense press secretary in Crimea, said by telephone that he is not authorized to give an account of how many military personnel were stationed in Crimea before the Russian invasion that started on Feb. 26-27 and how many would be re-deployed to the mainland.
Speaking of last night’s raid on a Ukrainian marine base near Feodosia, Seleznyov said that all of the estimated 150 Ukrainian troops received “some kind of injury,” including base commander, identified as Lieutenant-Colonel Dmitry Delytysky, who was the most seriously injured “with rib injuries” and Major Rostyslav Lomtiev.
Some 56 marines based in Kerch, the only other marine base in Ukraine, were already overrun by Russians on March 23. They said that they are ready to continue serving their nation on the mainland, but haven’t received orders to leave, according to base deputy commander Oleksiy Nikoforov. Two dozen additional marines, according to Nikofov say, they want to quite the Ukrainian military and continue service in the Russian armed forces.
According to an unnamed Ukrainian marine that the Crisis Media Center connected by phone to the press center, invading Russian forces flew Delytsky by helicopter from the Feodosiya base to an unknown location. Lomtiev is also in Russian custody. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the marine said that a “portion” of the 150 Ukrainian Marines remained on the base to conduct “land amelioration” and were presumably on the side of the Russians. An unnamed number of marines left the Feodosia base.
In a conflicting report, Seleznyov said that the Feodosia marines have refused to leave the base until their two commandeers are returned. He said evacuation of the Feodosia military base would commence at 3 p.m.
Also detained are deputy head of Ukraine’s military and navy, Ihor Voronchenko, and his subordinate Colonel Yuliy Mamchur. Voronchenko has been missing since March 23, presumably captured by Russians. Mamchur was earlier taken by Russian forces earlier and is currently being held in Sevastopol. He commanded the Ukrainian air force base in Belbek.
In the beginning of March, the newly appointed head of Ukraine’s navy swore allegiance to the Crimea region in the presence of its unrecognized pro-Russian leader. Then-Rear Admiral Denys Berezovsky said: “I swear allegiance to the residents of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.” He is now the deputy head of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet,
Volodymyr Voloshyn, president of the Union of Ukrainian Marines, told the Kyiv Post that “I don’t what his fate will be, but I doubt his further career will be successful” under the Russians.
Seleznyov said that Ukraine’s military in Crimea have orders to shoot.
He confirmed earlier media reports that Russians have positioned women and children in the front lines when storming Ukrainian bases in an unspecified number of cases.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has said that the tricolor flag of Russia has been hoisted at 190 Ukrainian military units and facilities in Crimea. A massive Russian military presence has been spotted along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia.
“The force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizeable and very, very ready,” U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove said, speaking at an event organized by the German Marshall Fund, a think tank.
He suggested Russia now had enough troops at the ready to push through eastern and southern Ukraine all the way to Moldova.
Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].
