Скачать или смотреть Families of Ukraine troops travel to base to show support for loved ones

(4 Mar 2014) Families of Ukrainian soldiers under blockade by Russian forces at a military base in Crimea visited their loved ones on Tuesday, delivering food and fresh clothes to the men.
On Sunday hundreds of Russian troops surrounded the Perevalnoye Ukrainian military base around 40km outside of capital Simferopol.
The Ukrainian forces inside refused to surrender their weapons, but agreed with the Russians to defuse the tense situation.
Since then it has been a matter of waiting to see what happens next, and on Tuesday Russian soldiers were patrolling the base as their Ukrainian counterparts looked on from inside.
"There are lots of locals here, the people of the Crimea, and parents, who are of course worried. They worry, they come here with supplies, or just simply to visit and see us, talk to us and give us their support. We are not preventing this and nor are the Russian forces," said Sergei Starzhenko, Commander of the 36th Brigade to AP Television.
Local residents rushed to the gates to drop off care packages for loved ones hoping not to be seen by members of the pro Russian camp.
All family members of the Ukrainian soldiers inside the base spoke of their concern for their loved ones but told AP Television they were afraid of possible retribution in their sharply divided town.
Leonida refused to give her full name out of fear, but said that she was there "for moral support of the soldiers," adding "They have to hang on and they will. I'm sure of that."
Fathers also played playing with their children under the watchful gaze of local pro Russian militia volunteers and Russian military in the sharply divided the small community of Perevalnoye.
According to Starzhenko, the situation is relatively calm however.
"Our military base is still being blocked by the troops of the Russian Federation. Currently there hasn't been any forceful action neither from their, nor our part. We are in the process of negotiations. The local populations has been divided into two camps, representing pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian moods. If I can say so, overall, the situation is stable" he said.
Meanwhile locals say they will pray for an end to the crisis.


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