Russian troops overrun naval base, Ukraine orders Crimea armed forces withdrawal

The Crimean crisis has further escalated as Russia takes over a naval base and Ukraine pulls out its armed forces.

10:44 24 March 2014

Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov has confirmed that the nation's armed forces are pulling out of Crimea after Russians 'threatened the lives of its military staffs and their families'.

"The national security and defence council has reached a decision, under instructions from the defence ministry, to conduct a redeployment of military units stationed in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea," interim President Turchynov said.

Russian troops have taken over the majority of Ukraine's bases in the peninsula, with the latest seizure being a key naval base at Feodosia on Sunday - the third siege in a 48-hour timeframe.

Russia recently made the controversial decision to annex Crimea after a referendum that the West and Ukraine considered illegal.

Moscow's annexation of Crimea arrived after protesters overthrew the pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych in February.

One of the major concerns now is that Russia will continue through the Ukraine to take over more - a move which Putin has denied stating that Crimea was the only planned target.

The international G8 summit was recently rebranded G7, pushing Russia out. Leaders of the G7 are set to hold emergency talks with an agenda of international threats to nuclear security.