THE OCCUPATION OF CRIMEA: CHRONICLE OF SEIZURE PART 1 Pictured: Cruiser ‘Ochakov’ sunk as a blockship On March 8, 2014, Russian troops seized the Shchelkino Ukrainian border check- point in Cape Kazantip. On the same day, ‘Crimean self-defense’ forces occu- pied the building of the Republican military commissariat in Simferopol; cars of pro-Ukrainian activists who arrived at the location were attacked by weapons fire. On March 9, Russian soldiers seized the Ukrainian frontier post in Chernomor- skoye, while a convoy of several dozen military trucks with unmarked Russian sol- diers arrived at Simferopol. On the night of March 10, Russian military forces occupied a separate missile tech- nical service unit in Chernomorskoye and the A-2904 military unit in Bakhchisaray. On March 13, Russian troops and members of the ‘Crimean self-defense’ blocked access to the military base in Inkerman. On the night of March 14, the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service division in Alushta was assaulted. On the same day, a convoy of Russian military equipment including large-caliber guns drove onto the peninsula from Kerch. On March 15, the Ukrainian Border Guard Service facilities in Massandra and Gurzuf were occupied. On the same day, a air defense missile battalion, including four batteries, was delivered via the Kerch ferry. By March 16, Russian soldiers and ‘Crimean self-defense’ units subordinated to Aksyonov had seized the main military facilities and administrative buildings in 13