SEVASTOPOL, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Sevastopol’s self-defense units have detained and expelled 30 alleged activists of ultranationalist organizations that were planning to stage provocations during the referendum.

“Maidan organizations sought to penetrate into Sevastopol to stage provocations during the referendum. Self-defense units did their best to prevent these attempts: they created checkpoints, contacted with hunters from neighboring settlements in order to cordon off wild pigs’ trails, patrolled mountainous roads and set up special reconnaissance units,” deputy chief of the Sevastopol self-defense committee Sergei Tutuyev told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

“Thus, thirty Maidan activists have been detained and expelled from Crimea, several Neo-Nazi groups were disclosed and provocations prevented. At night after the referendum we intercepted a signal — Maidan activists were ordered to leave the peninsula,” he said.

The radio intercept indicated that about 50 communication links worked in the area of Sevastopol. They tried to contact with the coordinator of provocations in Crimea’s city of Bakhchisaray. After the referendum, ultra-right-wing activists stepped back.

“Sevastopol’s self-defense units had 3,500 soldiers. Some of them were armed. We use arms laid down by Ukrainian servicemen. Now we’re waiting for Russian police to return arms,” Tutuyev said.

The self-defense committee has been set up on the instruction of people’s mayor Aleksei Chalyi and ensures law and order in the city.