Russia demands 2 Ukraine warships surrender
By DAVID McHUGH and DALTON BENNET, Associated Press
Mar 3, 2014 10:33 AM CST
Russian solders walk as a local resident waves with Russian flag outside of a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalne, outside of Simferopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surrounded the Ukrainian military base Sunday in Crimea, blocking...   (Associated Press)

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine says Russian forces controlling the strategic region of Crimea are demanding that the crew of two Ukrainian warships must surrender.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Maksim Prauta said four Russian navy ships were blocking Ukraine's anti-submarine warship Ternopil and the command ship Slavutych in Sevastopol's harbor.

He said the Russians ordered the crew to surrender within the hour or face Russians storming and seizing the ships and crew.

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