Half of Ukraine military personnel in Crimea go over to Russian side - general
KYIV. March 24 (Interfax) - "About 50%" of the Ukrainian military personnel deployed in Crimea have gone over to the side of Russia, joining the latter's armed forces, Maj. Gen. Olexander Rozmaznin, deputy chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Command Center, said on Monday in answering a question from a reporter.
Rozmaznin said the Ukrainian Defense Ministry is making arrangements for the withdrawal of Ukrainian military forces from Crimea.
"A great deal has been done to redeploy our forces from the peninsula here in the mainland," he said, adding that new deployment facilities and accommodation for officers' families were ready.
The general said corridors had been agreed upon for the withdrawal of the troops, who would be leaving Crimea via Chongar and Krasnoperekopsk. It remained unclear whether the Ukrainian armed forces personnel who would leave Crimea would take their armaments with them.
"Even if there are no armaments, it's the people who are most important. We'll take weapons from depots," he said.
Rozmaznin said the withdrawal would be finished "very soon" but didn't name any specific date.
The armed forces in Crimea that remain loyal to Ukraine are three ships in Donuzlav and several army units, he said.
