Pro and anti-Russian protesters have clashed in the Ukraine region of
Crimea, as Russia ordered battle-readiness checks on armed forces near
the nations' borders and said it was moving to ensure the security of
its Black Sea fleet.
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Scuffles broke out outside the Crimea regional parliament on Wednesday between thousands of pro-Russia separatists and supporters of Ukraine's new leaders as regional politicians prepared to debate the removal of the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovich from the presidency.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, issued battle tests for army, navy and airforce troops based in Russia's western military district, which borders Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Finland and the Arctic.
Russia's defence ministry was later reported by Reuters to have said it was taking measures to ensure the security of its facilities and arsenals of its Ukraine-based Black Sea naval fleet.
"The commander-in-chief has set the task of checking the capability of the armed forces to deal with crisis situations posing a threat to the military security of the country," Sergei Shoigu, tthe defence minsiter, told the Interfax news agency.
Al Jazeera's Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said that similar inspections were made regularly in Russia to ensure readiness, and that no specific mention had been made of Ukraine.
Read more: Ukraine rivals clash as Russia alerts troops - Europe - Al Jazeera English
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Scuffles broke out outside the Crimea regional parliament on Wednesday between thousands of pro-Russia separatists and supporters of Ukraine's new leaders as regional politicians prepared to debate the removal of the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovich from the presidency.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, issued battle tests for army, navy and airforce troops based in Russia's western military district, which borders Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Finland and the Arctic.
Russia's defence ministry was later reported by Reuters to have said it was taking measures to ensure the security of its facilities and arsenals of its Ukraine-based Black Sea naval fleet.
"The commander-in-chief has set the task of checking the capability of the armed forces to deal with crisis situations posing a threat to the military security of the country," Sergei Shoigu, tthe defence minsiter, told the Interfax news agency.
Al Jazeera's Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said that similar inspections were made regularly in Russia to ensure readiness, and that no specific mention had been made of Ukraine.
Read more: Ukraine rivals clash as Russia alerts troops - Europe - Al Jazeera English
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