A tense series of tweets from reporters at Time (Shuster) and Haaretz (Pfeffer), embedded in chronological order:
Sunrise inside the garrison of Ukraine’s Belbek base. The supposed Russian ultimatum passed an hour ago. #crimea pic.twitter.com/BVkWe05RvR
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Some kind of missile batteries mounted on 4 more Russian APCs outside Belbek base. That’s very new.
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Colonel Yuli Mamchuk, Balbek base commander reviewing his men at morning parade #Crimea #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/8GBcIAloXC
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014
Commander of Ukraine’s Belbek base just got a call from Russian counterpart. Another ultimatum: surrender by 16:00. This is the 3rd one
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Incredible. Half the Ukraine troops from Belbek base now marching to airstrip occupied by Russians. Unarmed. To take it back.
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Marching to the runway #Belbek #Crimea #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/huMSvXo4RQ
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014
Ukraine column has reached Russian checkpoint. Russians begin firing in the air. Ukrainians keep marching
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Russians call commander to negotiate. Troops have RPGs and machine guns trained on the column of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers. Belbek, Crimea
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Standoff at Belbek pic.twitter.com/5rrya09pun
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014
Russians back down, allow 10 Ukraine soldiers to take up positions at occupied base, but still awaiting orders from Moscow
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
The Ukraine commanders just received word that Putin ordered the Russian troops to withdraw. Is that true?
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Wives of Ukrainian officers prepare to join the men marching on Belbek airbase pic.twitter.com/Z7J0FLELer
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014
Ukraine Colonel still negotiating, Russian snipers & RPGs still aiming at column of soldiers. But deescalation is clear, at least in Belbek
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Of course there is a live stream of the confrontation unfolding at Belbek http://t.co/6rp0Wvd0xV cc @shustry @AnshelPfeffer #Crimea
— Brian Ries (@moneyries) March 4, 2014
Pfeffer says in his latest update that “Russian commander said would respond to Ukrainian demand by Noon” – which is two hours from now. So the Dish is headed to bed. But you can follow Pfeffer here and Shuster here. Earlier coverage of the ultimatum here. Updates from the morning:
Marching away from the Russians pic.twitter.com/FyDVXPUipZ
— Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) March 4, 2014
Phone battery dying. Read @Time a bit later for the hair-raising conclusion of the ballsiest move of the Crimean conflict so far. #Belbek
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
#crimea #Ukraine At Belbek base tday a group of unarmed Ukr soldiers faced armed Russians.They failed to regain turf, but kept their pride.
— Jon Lee Anderson (@jonleeanderson) March 4, 2014
Our hero – Colonel Yuri #Mamchur, commander of the brigade of Tactical Aviation in #Belbek, #Crimea pic.twitter.com/Xb72MUFVDg
— ЄВРОМАЙДАН (@euromaidan) March 4, 2014
Belbek base commander says their march may have ended differently if not for the human shield of journalists. Expressed his thanks. #ukraine
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
I'm not criticizing Col. Memchur in any way, just pointing out he took a calculated risk Russians wldn't fire while the cameras were filming
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014
#Belbek earlier today RT @TarasKuzio Russian soldiers fire "warning shots" at unarmed Ukrainian troops https://t.co/3x3CDu2V6S
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) March 4, 2014
#Ukranian major after confrontation with #Russians troops on #Belbek airforce base: those were the first shots fired here since WW2. #crimea
— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) March 4, 2014
The Dish 