Moscow shows its influence in Crimean city amid fears the whole peninsula could seek deeper ties with Russia

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Authorities in the southern Ukrainian city of Sevastopol have installed a pro-Russian mayor as fears grow that the Kremlin may be stoking separatist sentiment in the region.

Sevastopol's city council handed power to Aleksei Chaliy, a Russian citizen, during an extraordinary session on Monday evening while more than a thousand protesters gathered around city hall chanting "Russia, Russia, Russia," and "A Russian mayor for a Russian city."

Fears are spreading that separatists in Sevastopol, and the Crimean region of which it is a part, could use the power vacuum in Ukraine to seize greater autonomy and deepen ties with Russia.

It was not immediately clear whether local security forces would back Chaliy, but earlier in the day Sevastopol police chief Alexander Goncharov said that his officers would refuse to carry out "criminal orders" issued by Kiev.

At least four checkpoints manned by armed police were in place on major roads into the city to stop the arrival of extremists, according to local media reports.

Ukraine's interim president, Olexander Turchynov, warned on Tuesday that the country faced a "serious threat" from separatism.

Viktor Neganov, a Sevastopol-based adviser to the interior minister, condemned the events in the city as a coup. "Chaliy represents the interests of the Kremlin which likely gave its tacit approval," he said.

The Crimean peninsula, which is the only region of Ukraine with a majority of ethnic Russians, was Russian territory until 1954. Moscow recently extended its lease on a large naval base in Sevastopol to 2042.

In recent years, Russia has faced accusations of fast-tracking the distribution of Russian passports in Crimea, as well as sponsoring pro-Russian groups.

Similar demonstrations to those in Sevastopol have taken place across Crimea in recent days, including the regional capital of Simferopol and the coastal town of Kerch. Self-defence militias are also being formed.

Russian state television channels have given the unrest large amounts of airtime.

The mayor of Sevastopol appointed from Kiev, Vladimir Yatsuba, was booed and whistled on Sunday when he told a pro-Russian rally that Crimea was a part of Ukraine.

Yatsuba was in tears when he announced his resignation to journalists on Monday, paving the way for his pro-Russian replacement.

Crowds gathered again outside Sevastopol's city hall again on Tuesday as rumours spread that security forces could arrest Chaliy.

"Putin and the Black Sea fleet should come," said one woman, who only gave her name as Alexandra, stood outside city hall on Monday evening as the city council voted inside. "We are not scared of bloodshed," she added.