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Soldiers of Ukrainian army garrisons stationed in Crimea come over to autonomy's side

Similar processes had been underway in the Feodosiya, Simferopol and Perevalinsky garrisons where a considerable number of servicemen had wished to join the self-defense forces

SIMFEROPOL, March 03. /ITAR-TASS/. A huge of number of soldiers from Ukrainian garrisons blocked by Crimean self-defense forces in the north Crimean town of Feodosiya and the village of Perekopskoye near Simferopol have been coming over to the side of the Crimean autonomy, Crimea’s First Vice-Premier Rustam Temirgaliyev said on Monday.

Temirgaliyev noted that similar processes had been underway in the Feodosiya, Simferopol and Perevalinsky garrisons where a considerable number of servicemen had wished to join the self-defense forces on Monday.

“At present, servicemen have been quitting the Ukrainian army in huge amounts. Dozens of soldiers are ready to be sworn in to the loyalty of the people of Crimea. Today, we are welcoming the soldiers who are leaving the Ukrainian army. We are offering them to join Crimea’s people’s self-defense units instead,” Rustam Temirgaliyev went on to say.

Temirgaliyev, however, has described the situation in Crimea as generally calm. No armed conflicts have been registered in the autonomy’s territory, he said.

“Despite hysteria in Ukraine’s central media, the situation on peninsula remains absolutely calm. No conflicts have flared up in Crimea over the past 24 hours. Crimea has preserved its inter-ethnic peace,” Temirgaliyev went on to say.

“Not a single armed conflict has been registered in the Crimea. The ‘Crimean spring’ is kind and absolutely peaceful,” the first vice-premier added.