Live from Belbek as first Russian shots fired in Crimea - See more at:

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Tuesday 04 Mar 20 4 The first shots of the Russian o!!u"ation of Crimea #ere fired overni$ht at Belbek air for!e base% Lu!kily& they #ere into the air% But the Russians said if #e did not sto"& they #ould fire at our le$s&' said Ma(or Ser$ey )olov!hanskyi of the *krainian air for!e% +e #as amon$ some 00 *krainian air for!e #ho had de!ided that they #ere $oin$

to take ba!k the "lanes #hi!h the Russians had sei,ed a !ou"le of days a$o% They mar!hed u" to the run#ay $ate #ith a !ir!ular sa#% That #as #hen the Russians threatened them% They sto""ed& and the standoff !ontinues% This mornin$ several do,en (ournalists have (oined the *krainian soldiers on a hill in the base% The atmos"here is stran$ely rela-ed for a situation so dan$erous%

Brothers.
/ !an see soldiers sittin$ on tyres& smokin$& !hattin$& and one is "layin$ #ith his do$% 0ll around& Russian sni"ers are in the bushes& flat on their bellies #ith their #ea"ons trained on us% / don.t think that the *krainians !an really believe that this is ha""enin$% 1The Russians are our brothers&' said Ma(or )olov!hanskyi& 1but this is an o!!u"ation%' The ma(or said that there #as !onfli!t even #ithin his o#n family about #hat #as $oin$ on% 1My father su""orts the Russians&' he said& 1but / do not%' +e is amon$ three 2n$lish-s"eakin$ offi!ers here #ho have served in "ea!ekee"in$ for!es from Sudan to Sierra Leone or alon$side #estern troo"s in 0f$hanistan and /ra3% They !onsider the Russians as their brothers be!ause they have al#ays #orked alon$side ea!h other in Crimea% But sin!e *kraine (oined the 4ato 5artnershi" for 5ea!e "ro$ramme& they have also learnt ho# #estern militaries o"erate% So no# they find themselves !au$ht in the middle%

+o# #ill it end6

/t is as if #e have three $overnments here&' said Ma(or )olov!hanskyi% 1The $overnment in 7iev& the ne# $overnment in Crimea& and the $overnment in Russia% This is not all ri$ht for the military%' 0 li$ht dri,,le has started to fall and no-one here kno#s ho# this #ill end% The Russians may have thou$ht that the *krainian for!es #ould 3ui!kly surrender their #ea"ons%

These soldiers here are unarmed& but other *krainian for!es on the base still have their #ea"ons and have no intention of $ivin$ them u"% But if the Russian troo"s start to shoot *krainian soldiers& that #ill $ive the lie to 5resident 5utin.s ar$ument that he has sent troo"s here to "rote!t Crimea% 8e !ould be standin$ on this hill in the rain for some time% International Editor Lindsey Hilsum has been tweeting live from the scene at Belbek. See how the episode has played out below, or
follow lindseyhilsum on !witter.
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#Ukranian forces at #Belbek #crimea waiting for negotiations with #Russians. Midday deadline but for what?
4:04 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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Just spoke to a #Ukrainian major on#Belbek who said the #Russians are his brothers but this is an occupation.
5:24 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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t #Belbek airforce base we are watching #Ukrainian officers negotiating with #Russians! as R troops train weapons on U soldiers.
5:25 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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"urreal scenes at Belbek air force base # $%% Ukrainian soldiers mingle with journalists while Russians soldiers train weapons on us #c&news
6:31 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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'le(er strategy by Ukrainian air force to in(ite journalists onto air force base to witness Russian attempt to take o(er. #c&news
6:32 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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#Ukrainian commander returns from negotiations with #Russians at Balbec! said waiting for Black "ea fleet rep and orders from abo(e #c&news.
6:33 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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Ukrainian commander at Belbek says )Russians ha(e no right to take out facilities and supplies*. #c&news
6:34 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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Ukrainian soldiers waiting for negotiation with #Russians at #Belbek just started impromptu game of football. #c&news
6:34 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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Ukraine troops playing football! suddenly masked men arri(ed and stood in front of Russian (ehicles
6:58 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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+ masked men standing aggressi(ely with group of Russian soldiers in Belbek standoff
6:58 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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, shouted- ./ho are you?. to masked men! they said- .0o comment.
6:59 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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, shouted .1ou speak english?.! one replied .2nly so#so! we3re from "e(astopol..
6:59 AM - 4 Mar 2014

Lindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

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"tandoff at Belbek airbase suddenly (ery tense with arri(al of group of men in jeans
6:59 AM - 4 Mar 2014

4osted by 5ha(am