Volodymyr Bova, a spokesman for the defence ministry, told AFP that Russian forces had entered the base in Cape Fiolent near Sevastopol and no shots were fired.
A second base that was also reportedly seized however illustrated the absurd situation in Crimea, where the question of "who is in control" and "since when" remains vague in many parts, despite Moscows tightening grip on the peninsula.
A ministry spokesman talked of pro-Moscow forces taking partial control of the base in Evpatoria, northwest of the peninsulas capital Simferopol.
A visit to the base by AFP revealed however that Russian forces had been in place for days.
Pro-Russian groups already approached the base on February 23 to negotiate with the Ukrainian commanders, just a day after the ousting of Ukraines pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych.
"We let them in after the talks," said Sergiy Anyushkin, a Ukrainian officer at the base.
Since then "30 to 40" members of the Russian armed forces have been at the base, patrolling the alleys between the facilities -- including those holding weapons and anti-aircraft missiles -- but acting in a "peaceful manner," he said.
This did not stop a large group of mostly pro-Russian civilians from trying to attack the base on Tuesday evening, putting them face to face with fellow Russians guarding the gates alongside the Ukrainian soldiers.
In an unusual move, the bases Ukrainian commander even called a representative of Crimeas pro-Russian government, Yuriy Zheribtsov, to the rescue.
Russias de facto takeover of Crimea has been generally peaceful, with regular skirmishes that have stopped short of real violence.
Still, the takeovers mark a new step: in similar incidents in recent days, pro-Russian forces had mostly surrounded or blocked access to Ukrainian bases without taking control of them.
Russian-speaking Crimea has come under de-facto control by pro-Russian forces since Yanukovychs ousting and the installation of a new pro-EU government in Kiev.
Putin however continues to deny there are any Russian ground forces operating in Crimea, insisting that gunmen that many have identified as Russian soldiers were in fact "local self-defence forces".(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
