Sailor comrades-turned-foes face off in Sevastopol

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine: The Russian sailors of the Black Sea Fleet were their brothers, their friends, their comrades.

Now they have become a threat for the Ukrainian navy men blockaded in the historic port of Sevastopol, cut off from the rest of the world.

Scores of sailors are spending listless days marooned in the port on board two warships – the Slavutich and the Ternopil.

The blue- and-yellow flags they fly are the only Ukrainian ones on this immense naval base, which Russia’s Black Sea Fleet leases from Ukraine and where some 20 warships can be seen with Russian flags.

A sign reading ‘Do Not Enter’ separates the Ukrainian dock from the rest.

The moorings of the Ukrainian ships have been loosened to distance them from the dock.

“It’s a precaution against an assault,” sub- officer Ruslan Obich shouts to AFP from the Slavutich.

“It’s calm now but if they come aboard we’ll defend ourselves,” he says, making a gun with his hand.

“If necessary we’ll scuttle our ship. They won’t take us!” he says, as just three Ukrainian soldiers with bullet-proof vests and helmets slung over their shoulders are spotted standing guard.

The rest of the small Ukrainian base lies open without a guard in sight.

Viktoriya, 14, attaches a bag to a piece of rope that her father Ruslan then drags on board.

“I bring him some things because they have to stay there. He can’t come home,” she says.

“Some clean shirts, some soaps. I’m afraid the Russians are going to attack.”

As she leaves, her father – who has not set foot on land for two weeks – blows her a kiss.

Pavlo, an officer on the Slavutich, says he is ‘sure’ the Russians will not attack. — AFP