Updated at 13:45,15-04-2024

Poltava Military commissariat: Mother of Crimean soldier wants to enlist

Artsiom Martynovich, Euroradio

300 people came to Poltava military commissariat in half a day. 2 thousands enlisted in Vinnitsa.

"We have already registered 300 people today. Girls are also coming. An old lady born in 1939 came. Foreign citizens (Morocco, Armenia and Kazakhstan) are coming. People are bringing their military cards," Poltava City military commissariat described the mobilization in Central Ukraine after Russia’s armed intervention into Crimea.

Even people unfit for military service are coming. Nobody has been sent to Crimea yet – they are studying to become drivers and signallers.

"We are writing down applicants’ phone numbers. Those who need to study (drivers, signallers) are sent to classes. Women are coming too – they want to help. A lawyer and a medic came earlier today. The mother of a Crimean soldier came," Poltava military commissariat told Euroradio.

2 thousand people enlisted in Vinnista Oblast in three days. Even girls are enlisting.

"2 thousands have enlisted. Girls are enlisting to become nurses," Vinnitsa Oblast military commissariat said.

No girls came to Chernigov military commissariat. But they are enlisting in Kiev.

"People’s civic stand is very high now. A lot of people are enlisting, girls are coming too – everyone is ready to defend their Motherland. But we have no statistics," Kiev City military commissariat replied.

While people are studying to become drivers and signallers in Central Ukraine, attackers are targeting Ukrainian soldiers with grenade launchers at Belbek airbase near Sevastopol.

Pavel Nikulin: Soldiers’ wives and relatives made bonfires near the base at night. An assault had been promised to start at 5 a.m. but nothing happened. A Ukrainian major made a speech in the morning: "These people came to our base and took away our weapons. They will come to our houses tomorrow." He asked the solders (all of them were adult people) to go and take their usual positions without any weapons and bullet-proof vests. About 100 people headed there carrying the Ukrainian flag and the division colours. A Tiger approached them and people resembling Russian soldiers got out of it. One of them even targeted the column with a grenade launcher. They shot in the air four times but the Ukrainian soldiers did not stop. They stopped a metre away from the shooter and negotiations started. The base is not under assault.


Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that the people who had seized military bases in Crimea were not Russian solders but "local self-defence forces". The self-defence forces were trained in Lithuania and Poland, lenta.ru quotes Putin.

Armed people in uniform have been present in Crimea for almost a week. They suggest that Ukrainian soldiers surrender and are using military equipment with Russian number plates. No warfare has started yet.

Video: events at Belbek airbase

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