Russian forces take over Ukraine base in Crimea

Russian forces have seized an airbase in Crimea Peninsula using at least two armored vehicles to break into the last Ukrainian military stronghold in the newly-incorporated territory.

Gunfire and explosions could be heard at the Belbek air base, just outside Sevastopol on Saturday as the vehicles broke down the gate after an ultimatum given to the Ukrainian troops by Russians outside came to an end.

The Russian military surrounded the airbase and issued an ultimatum to forces inside to surrender their weapons and abandon the base, where Ukrainians had been refusing to allow them entry.

According to the commander of Belbek airbase, Colonel Juliy Mamchur, one Ukrainian was injured in the takeover of the base, which had been one of the last military facilities in Crimea still under Ukrainian control.

Earlier on the day, pro-Russian protesters stormed another Ukrainian air force base in western Crimea, forcing the soldiers to leave as the Ukrainian flag was taken down.

The unarmed crowd started smashing windows as Ukrainian servicemen inside the base in the town of Novofedorivka threw smoke bombs at them from the roof.

Pro-Russia demonstrators have raised the Russian Navy flags on dozens of Ukrainian naval ships in Crimea.

Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of Russia following a March 16 referendum, in which 96.8 percent of voters chose union with Russia.