Piling into buses, Ukrainian marines in Crimea began their journey back to the mainland today as former comrades saluted them from outside a base overrun by Russian forces.
It was a low-key exit from the eastern port of Feodosia, with fewer than a dozen friends or relatives bidding the marines farewell. A troop transporter bearing black Russian military plates trailed the bus as it pulled away.
Their departure came as Ukraine's defense minister stepped down today after harsh criticism for authorities' often-hesitant reaction to Russia's annexation of Crimea, which was formalized following a hastily organized referendum this month.
And while Ukraine struggles to handle its humbling at the hands of Russia, it is also dealing with the menace of seething Ukrainian nationalists angered by the police's killing of a leading radical.
So far, 131 marines have left Crimea, the defense ministry said. They are going to be stationed temporarily at a military barracks in the town of Genichesk in Ukraine's southern Kherson province, but their final destination is still unclear.
In an address to parliament, Defence Minister Igor Tenyukh denied that he had failed to issue clear instructions to troops but said he reserved the right to resign.
The order for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Crimea was issued yesterday, a week after many bases had already been stormed and seized by pro-Russian forces.
Lawmakers initially refused Tenyukh's resignation, but later accepted it and voted to appoint Col. Gen. Mykhailo Koval as his replacement.
About 4,300 Ukrainian servicemen and 2,200 of their relatives have asked to leave Crimea, Tenyukh said today.That means about two-thirds of the 18,800 military personnel and relatives that he said were stationed on the Black Sea peninsula were so far taking their chances in Crimea.
It was not clear how many of those troops had joined the Russian army or had simply demobilized.
Oleksandr Rozmaznin, deputy chief of operations for Ukraine's armed forces, has said navy troops will be redeployed in port cities along Ukraine's southern mainland in Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson.
Ukraine's new government is struggling to consolidate control amid ominous signals of discontent from Right Sector, a radical nationalist movement that played a key role in the anti-government demonstrations which prompted President Viktor Yanukovych to flee to Russia in February.
