13 Disquieting Photos Of Armed Russians Still Surrounding Ukrainian Soldiers In Crimea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claims that the troops controlling Ukraine's Crimea peninsula are "self-defence forces created by the inhabitants of Crimea, we have no authority over them."

That is provably false.

The Interpreter has listed several examples of these "not-Russian-but-yeah-definitely-Russian-military paramilitary troops" - including the fact that soldiers have admitted being Russian multiple times - and it becomes clearer by the day as Russian armored vehicles show up.

Nevertheless, that's the Kremlin story as Russian troops with uniforms without insignia and mercenaries continue to surround all key Ukrainian military facilities and urge Ukrainian soldiers to defect.

Here are some of the more disquieting scenes from today and yesterday:

Ukrainian soldiers watch as a Russian soldier guards the gate of an infantry base in Perevalne.

AP/Darko Vojinovic

Belbek airport has been very tense. Here's a Russian soldier looks through the sights of his weapon.

REUTERS/Baz Ratner

The vehicles and weaponry on the Russian side are substantial.

REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

The Ukrainian soldiers at Balbek marched in defiance of the siege.

REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Soldiers under Russian command watched them as the unarmed soldiers marched, aiming a rocket propelled grenade launcher.

Sean Gallup/Getty

When they got closer, the soldiers shouted and warning shots were fired in the air.

AP/Ivan Sekretarev

Another soldier restrained his colleague after he fired his weapon into the air.

Sean Gallup/Getty

Here a Russian serviceman is seen behind pro-Russian "self-defense forces" at Belbek.

REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Russian forces are also blockading Ukrainian ships. Ukrainian sailors, who have been blocked in their own dock for six days, have to get shipments of food.

AP/Andrew Lubimov

And there's a Russian tank blocking the a road near the small Ukrainian city of Armyansk, which connects Crimea with the rest of Ukraine.

Alexey Kravtsov/AFP

The Russians continue waiting, watching trying to convince Ukrainian soldiers to give up their arms and pledge allegiance to local pro-Kremlin authorities.

REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili

While the besieged Ukrainian soldiers wait at their posts, surrounded.

REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Ukrainian servicemen guard on the territory of a military unit located in the village of Lyubimovka near a local airfield southwest of Simferopol, Crimea's capital, March 5, 2014.