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Here’s what the tense waiting game in the Ukraine-Russia military stand-off looks like

A soldier, believed to be a Russian serviceman, stands guard near a local airfield in the village of Lyubimovka, southwest of Simferopol, Crimea’s capital.
A soldier, believed to be a Russian serviceman, stands guard near a local airfield in the village of Lyubimovka, southwest of Simferopol, Crimea’s capital.
Image: Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko
By
Lily Kuo
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Russia’s ultimatum to Ukrainian troops in occupied Crimea—either surrender or “be ready for an assault”—has now passed without incident, but the tension has never been higher. Quartz’s Steve LeVine says the stand-off could end at any moment, either through the military surrender of Ukrainian troops on the Crimean peninsula or direct fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

But in the meantime, thousands of Ukrainian and Russian troops are uneasily waiting for a resolution.

Ukrainian servicemen guard a military unit in the village of Lyubimovka near a local airfield, some 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Simferopol, Crimea’s capital.
Ukrainian servicemen guard a military unit in the village of Lyubimovka near a local airfield, some 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Simferopol, Crimea’s capital.
Image: Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko

 

A man, believed to be a Russian serviceman, stands outside of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol.
A man, believed to be a Russian serviceman, stands outside of a Ukrainian military unit in the village of Perevalnoye outside Simferopol.
Image: Reuters/David Mdzinarishvili
A Ukrainian soldier at the air base of Belbek speaks to a woman. The air base, home to 45 MiG-29 fighter jets and over 800 troops has pledged its support for Crimea.
A Ukrainian soldier at the air base of Belbek speaks to a woman. The air base, home to 45 MiG-29 fighter jets and over 800 troops has pledged its support for Crimea.
Image: Getty Images/Sean Gallup

In this video from Vice, Russian and Ukrainian soldiers held a several hour stand-off at a Ukrainian naval base in Crimea after men believed to be Russian soldiers arrived on the morning of March 3 in hopes of taking over the base. The Russian troops told Ukrainian soldiers to disarm and leave their arms in a warehouse, but the two sides eventually agreed that the Ukrainian soldiers would keep their weapons.

A Ukrainian soldier at the Belbek military base stands on alert.
A Ukrainian soldier at the Belbek military base stands on alert.
Image: Getty Images/Sean Gallup
A military truck with Russian licence plates drives through a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian militants on the main road between Sevastopol and Simferopol on the Crimean peninsula.
A military truck with Russian licence plates drives through a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian militants on the main road between Sevastopol and Simferopol on the Crimean peninsula.
Image: Getty Images/Sean Gallup
A man holds a Soviet naval flag during a pro-Russian rally in Simferopol, Crimea.
A man holds a Soviet naval flag during a pro-Russian rally in Simferopol, Crimea.
Image: Reuters/David Mdzinarishvili
A Ukrainian national flag flies on the board of Ukrainian navy ship Slavutich at harbor of Sevastopol.
A Ukrainian national flag flies on the board of Ukrainian navy ship Slavutich at harbor of Sevastopol.
Image: AP Photo/Andrew Lubimov
Ukrainian seamen stand guard on the Ukrainian navy ship Slavutich at harbor of Sevastopol.
Ukrainian seamen stand guard on the Ukrainian navy ship Slavutich at harbor of Sevastopol.
Image: AP Photo/Andrew Lubimov
Pro-Russian soldiers block the Ukrainian naval base in the village of Novoozerne, west of the Crimean capital of Simferopol.
Pro-Russian soldiers block the Ukrainian naval base in the village of Novoozerne, west of the Crimean capital of Simferopol.
Image: AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev