SEVASTOPOL, March 12. /ITAR-TASS/. Sevastopol mayor Aleksei Chalyi has signed an instruction assigning tasks to the city's self-defense units, the press service of the City Life Support Coordination Council told Itar-Tass.

Previously there were no legal documents regulating the operation of self-defense units or listing their objectives.

"The document formalizes the establishment of the city's self defense led by unified headquarters. They can be used to rebuff possible armed attack on Sevastopol, protect the lives, health and property of city residents and secure free and safe holding of the city referendum," the press service said.

Priority tasks for Sevastopol self defense are preventing offenses, protecting of public order in city streets, checkpoint duty at the entrance to the city, and participation in actions and measures by on-duty units and groups.

The press service noted that the Sevastopol self-defense units were operating on the basis of the Ukrainian Constitution and Ukrainian laws on local self-rule and on police, the code of Ukraine’s civil defense and a number of by-laws.