Ukrainian warships voluntarily leave Sevastopol: sources

NOVANEWS

 

Ukrainian frigate The Hetman Sagaidachny, left, in the formation of Russian Black Sea Fleet ships at a parade on Russian Navy Day in Sevastopol. (RIA Novosti/Alexey Kudenko)
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About 10 Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet ships have left the naval base in Sevastopol, with several vessels now heading to Odessa, administrative sources have said. The ships left the base voluntarily but some of them broke down and returned, they claimed.
Facts  you need to know about Crimea and why it is in turmoil
Over the last 24 hours, “about 10 [war]ships and vessels of  the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet have left the Sevastopol  base,” a source in the government of the Autonomous Republic  of Crimea told Interfax on Sunday.
“Naturally, no one has compelled them to do so,” the  government source added.
The administration of the Crimean autonomy has nothing to do with  the moves of the Ukrainian ships, an administrative source also  told RIA Novosti.
Several vessels have since returned to the base in Sevastopol  “because of malfunctions,” the source said.
Meanwhile, former Ukrainian troops were due to swear allegiance  to the Crimean authorities in Sevastopol at 5pm local time (15:00  GMT). An unnamed official source earlier told RIA Novosti that  “the majority of the Ukrainian armed forces deployed in  Crimea” have passed to the side of the region. The transition was  made “without a single shot fired,” the source said.
Ukrainian state agencies have been categorically denying both the  claims of Ukrainian soldiers switching sides en masse and,  earlier, reports of warships leaving Sevastopol.
However, the governor of southern Ukrainian Odessa Region told  local media that several Ukrainian ships are sailing to the city  of Odessa and it is being decided where they will dock.
A Russian media report on Saturday claimed that Ukraine’s Navy flagship, the Hetman  Sahaidachny frigate has refused to follow orders from Kiev, came  over to Russia’s side and was returning home from the Gulf of  Aden flying the Russian naval flag. Various Ukrainian media  denied the report as “false” and “propaganda,”but gave only a Facebook statement of a former Navy officer  turned journalist in support of the rebuttal.
This comes as the newly appointed Navy Chief rear admiral Denis  Berezovsky has sworn allegiance to the people of Crimea, according  to RIA Novosti.
“I, Berezovsky Denis, swear allegiance to the Crimean people  and pledge to protect it, as required by the [army]  regulations,” Berezovsky said.
Hours after the announcement, the self-proclaimed government in  Kiev dismissed the Navy Chief and launched a treason case against  him.

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