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The newly appointed head of Ukraine's navy has pledged allegiance to pro-Russian forces in Crimea.
Rear Admiral Denys Berezovsky sworn the allegiance in the presence of its unrecognised pro-Russian leader.
Berezovsky was made head of the navy on Saturday, as the government in Kiev reacted to the threat of Russian invasion, the BBC reports.
According to the report, Ukraine's interim leaders have put him under investigation for treason.
Berezovsky appeared in Sevastopol before cameras alongside Sergiy Aksyonov, the pro-Russian politician elected by Crimea's regional parliament as local prime minister, the report said.
Aksyonov announced he had given orders to Ukrainian naval forces on the peninsula to disregard any orders from the 'self-proclaimed' authorities in Kiev, it added.
He then pledged to 'strictly obey the orders of the supreme commander of the autonomous republic of Crimea' and 'defend the lives and freedom' of Crimea's people, the report said.
According to the report, Admiral Berezovsky was later sacked by interim Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh and a treason case launched against him.
