Crimea: Parliament and government buildings seized

Crimea: Parliament and government buildings seized

Citing eyewitnesses, Interfax reports that there are about 60 people who have a large amount of weapons, adding that no one was injured during the seizure of the buildings early this morning.

Dozens of people who entered the building of local authorities bear the symbols of the Russian victory in the Second World War and, among other things, are signs reading, "Crimea is Russia."

The new Ukrainian leaders are worried about "signs of separatism" in Crimea. Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov confirmed that the buildings in Crimea had been seized, but did not provide many details.

As reported by RT, Ukrainian security forces were placed on alert because of this. At the same time Russian armored vehicles were seen on the streets of Sevastopol.

Interfax reported that Crimea's parliament and government control units for self-defense, which was formed by Russian speaking citizens.

Russia has in the meantime announced that it will "vigorously and uncompromisingly" defend the rights its compatriots. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the statement as tensions are rising in Crimea, the only region of Ukraine whose population is majority Russians.

The focus of the Ukrainian crisis thus transferred from Kiev to the peninsula. Two people died during unrest in Simferopol on Wednesday, when Tatar and Russian protesters clashed - the former in support of the new government in Kiev, while the latter group does not recognize it, reports Interfax.

Opponents of the government in Kiev were carrying flags of Crimea and Russia, chanting "We'll defend Crimea," and, "Russia, Russia", while their opponents - including many members of the unrecognized parliament of the Crimean Tatars - shouted "Crimea is not Russia", "Ukraine, Ukraine," and, "Allah is great".