PHOTOS: Crimean Tatars on edge as Ukraine-Russia tension boils
March 7, 2014
A Crimean Tartar girl looks out from a car as she leaves the train station in Lviv with her family after disembarking from a train from Simferopol, on March 7, 2014, in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. In the city of Lviv, across Ukraine from the crisis gripping Crimea, a group of Tatars fleeing the troubled peninsula disembarks on a train platform looking for security away from Russian forces. YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images ( 527843130 )
A family of Crimean Tartars disembarks from a train as they arrive from Simferopol to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 7, 2014. In the city of Lviv, across Ukraine from the crisis gripping Crimea, a group of Tatars fleeing the troubled peninsula disembarks on a train platform looking for security away from Russian forces. YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images ( 527842903 )
Crimean Tatars, right clash with police in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. More than 10,000 Muslim Tatars rallied in support of the interim government. That group clashed with a smaller pro-Russian rally nearby. Fistfights broke out between pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators in Ukraine's strategic Crimea region on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered massive military exercises just across the border. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) ( Ukraine Protests )
Crimean Tatars pray during a protest in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. More than 10,000 Muslim Tatars rallied in support of the interim government. That group clashed with a smaller pro-Russian rally nearby. Fistfights broke out between pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators in Ukraine's strategic Crimea region on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered massive military exercises just across the border. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) ( Ukraine Protests )
Pro-Ukrainian activists hold placards reading "Crimea+Ukraine is love" during a rally in front of the Crimean parliament in Semfiropol on February 26, 2014. Pro-Russian demonstrators on Wednesday brawled with supporters of Ukraine's new interim authorities in the capital of the Russophone Crimea region Simferopol, an AFP reporter at the scene said. Scuffles erupted as thousands of pro-Moscow residents and Muslim Crimean Tatars backing the new leadership in Kiev held competing rallies outside the regional parliament building, where local legislators rejected demands to debate splitting from Kiev. Vasiliy BATANOV/AFP/Getty Images ( 527508056 )
Ukrainian pro-European activists clash with pro-Russian activists in front of Crimean regional parliament in Simferopol on February 26, 2014. Pro-Russian demonstrators on Wednesday brawled with supporters of Ukraine's interim authorities in the capital of the Russophone Crimea region Simferopol, an AFP reporter at the scene said. Scuffles erupted as thousands of pro-Moscow residents and Muslim Crimean Tatars backing the new leadership in Kiev held competing rallies outside the regional parliament building, where local legislators rejected demands to debate splitting from Kiev. Vasiliy BATANOV/AFP/Getty Images ( 527507881 )
Crimean Tatars clash with a police officer , left, in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. About 20,000 Muslim Tatars who rallied in support of the interim government clashed with a smaller pro-Russian rally. Fistfights broke out between pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators in Ukraine's strategic Crimea region on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered massive military exercises just across the border. (AP PhotoAndrew Lubimov) ( APTOPIX Ukraine Protests )
Pro-Russian protesters, right, clash with Crimean Tatars in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. More than 10,000 Muslim Tatars rallied in support of the interim government. That group clashed with a smaller pro-Russian rally nearby. Fistfights broke out between pro- and anti-Russian demonstrators in Ukraine's strategic Crimea region on Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered massive military exercises just across the border. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) ( Ukraine Protests )
LUBIMOVKA, UKRAINE - MARCH 04: Troops under Russian command stand firmly after firing their weapons into the air and screaming orders to turn back at an approaching group of over 100 hundred unarmed Ukrainian troops at the Belbek airbase, which the Russian troops are occcupying, in Crimea on March 4, 2014 in Lubimovka, Ukraine. The Ukrainians are stationed at their garrison nearby, and after spending a tense night anticipating a Russian attack following the expiration of a Russian deadline to surrender, in which family members of troops spent the night at the garrison gate in support of the soldiers, their commander Colonel Yuli Mamchor announced his bold plan this morning to retake the airfield by confronting the Russian-lead soldiers unarmed. The Russian-lead troops fired their weapons into the air but then granted Mamchor the beginning of negotiations with their commander. Russian-lead troops have blockaded a number of Ukrainian military bases across Crimea. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) ( 476603823 )
An APC is stationned at a check-point manned by Ukrainian pro-Russian activists guarding a road not far from the city of Sevastopol leading to a Russian Black Sea Navy base on February 26, 2014. Pro-Russian demonstrators on Wednesday brawled with supporters of Ukraine's interim authorities in the capital of the Russophone Crimea region Simferopol, an AFP reporter at the scene said. Scuffles erupted as thousands of pro-Moscow residents and Muslim Crimean Tatars backing the new leadership in Kiev held competing rallies outside the regional parliament building, where local legislators rejected demands to debate splitting from Kiev. At background, a Russian national flag. Vasiliy BATANOV/AFP/Getty Images ( 527508387 )
LUBIMOVKA, UKRAINE - MARCH 04: Troops under Russian command jump down from a truck with orders to shoot to kill anyone who advances further after over 100 unarmed Ukrainian troops confronted them at the Belbek airbase, which the Russian troops are occcupying, in Crimea on March 4, 2014 in Lubimovka, Ukraine. The Ukrainians are stationed at their garrison nearby, and after spending a tense night anticipating a Russian attack following the expiration of a Russian deadline to surrender, in which family members of troops spent the night at the garrison gate in support of the soldiers, their commander Colonel Yuli Mamchor announced his bold plan this morning to retake the airfield by confronting the Russian-lead soldiers unarmed. The Russian-lead troops fired their weapons into the air but then granted Mamchor the beginning of negotiations with their commander. Russian-lead troops have blockaded a number of Ukrainian military bases across Crimea. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) ( 476603899 )
A family of Crimean Tartars disembarks from a train as they arrive from Simferopol to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 7, 2014. In the city of Lviv, across Ukraine from the crisis gripping Crimea, a group of Tatars fleeing the troubled peninsula disembarks on a train platform looking for security away from Russian forces. YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images ( 527842969 )
Crimean Tartar women and their children walk near the train station after disembarking from a train as they arrive from Simferopol to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 7, 2014. In the city of Lviv, across Ukraine from the crisis gripping Crimea, a group of Tatars fleeing the troubled peninsula disembarks on a train platform looking for security away from Russian forces. YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images ( 527842943 )
Crimean Tartar women with their children leave the train station in Lviv by car after disembarking from a train from Simferopol, on March 7, 2014, in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. In the city of Lviv, across Ukraine from the crisis gripping Crimea, a group of Tatars fleeing the troubled peninsula disembarks on a train platform looking for security away from Russian forces. YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP/Getty Images ( 527843132 )
Crimean Tatars stand around bonfire conducting the shift to guard their neighborhood, in Simferopol, Ukraine, late Thursday, March 6, 2014. Ukraine lurched toward breakup Thursday as lawmakers in Crimea unanimously declared they wanted to join Russia and would put the decision to voters in 10 days. President Barack Obama condemned the move and the West answered with the first real sanctions against Russia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) ( Ukraine )
Crimean Tatars gather to conduct the shift guarding their neighborhood, in Simferopol, Ukraine, late Thursday, March 6, 2014. Ukraine lurched toward breakup Thursday as lawmakers in Crimea unanimously declared they wanted to join Russia and would put the decision to voters in 10 days. President Barack Obama condemned the move and the West answered with the first real sanctions against Russia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) ( Ukraine )
SIMFEROPOL, UKRAINE - MARCH 07: Muslim men, mostly Crimean Tatars, arrive for Friday midday prayers at the Kebir-Dzhami Mosque, which is the city's oldest, on March 7, 2014 in Simferopol, Ukraine. Crimean Tatars, hundreds of thousands of whom Stalin deported in the 1950s, make up between 15%-20% of Crimea's population and have historically been suspicious of Russian rule. The pro-Russian Crimean Parliament voted yesterday to secede from Ukraine, join Russia and hold a referendum on the issue on March 16. The Crimean population is majority Russian, a large number of whom are enthusiastically supporting annexation to Russia. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) ( 477099187 )
Crimean Tatars leave the Han mosque in the small Crimean city of Bakhchysarai on March 7, 2014. Bakhchysarai, the city with the most Crimean Tatar inhabitants, is the former capital of the Crimean Khanate. Armed men at a checkpoint flying the Russian flag blocked OSCE observers from entering Ukraine's flashpoint Crimean peninsula for a second day today, an AFP reporter said. GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images ( 527845135 )
Crimean Tatars pray at the Han mosque in the small Crimean city of Bakhchysarai on March 7, 2014. Bakhchysarai, where most residents are Crimean Tatars, is the former capital of the Crimean Khanate. Armed men at a checkpoint flying the Russian flag blocked OSCE observers from entering Ukraine's flashpoint Crimean peninsula for a second day on Friday, an AFP reporter said. GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images ( 527844563 )
Crimean Muslims attend a religious service in a mosque in the town of Bakhychisarai, Crimea, Ukraine, 07 March 2014. Crimea's parliament moved the date of an all-Crimean referendum on the status of the autonomous Republic of Crimea to 16 March. EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE ( UKRAINE CRISIS CRIMEA )
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