The sad part was of 500 men in the "elite battalion" of Ukrainian
marines only 130 men remained loyal to Ukraine. WTF
http://live.aljazeera.com/Event/Ukraine_liveblog
12:22 AM EDT
Brass band and medals for returning Crimea soldiers
A hero's welcome replete with a brass band and medals greeted soldiers returning to Kiev last week after their hasty and meek retreat from Crimea, many still stunned by Russia's rapid takeover of the Black Sea peninsula.
Around 130 marines from an elite battalion from Feodosiya in Crimea's southeast stood in rows on a parade ground in the Ukrainian capital in black berets and striped shirts.
They are all that remain of a unit of about 500 men, the rest choosing to switch allegiance to the peninsula's new master, Moscow.
Demoralised and set adrift by the rapid loss of their bases to Russia, the soldiers were warmly greeted by newly appointed Defence Minister Lieutenant General Mykhailo Koval, whose predecessor was dismissed over his handling of the Crimea crisis.
After a military salute to the marines, Koval embraced the battalion's deputy commander Major Vladimir Baraniuk.
"We express our gratitude for your courage and your steadfastness," said Koval, handing out medals to Baraniuk and several other officers "for military service to Ukraine". [AFP]
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