Protesters storm Ukraine military base in west Crimea

NOVOFEDORIVKA, Mar 22 (agencies): About 200 pro-Russian protesters on Saturday stormed a Ukrainian air force base in western Crimea, AFP correspondents saw.

The unarmed crowd broke through to the base in the town of Novofedorivka and started smashing windows as Ukrainian servicemen barricaded themselves inside buildings and threw smoke bombs at the intruders from the roof.

Meanwhile: Germany Saturday accused Russia of trying to splinter Europe as a Cold War-style struggle over the future of ex-Soviet Ukraine ratched up following the Kremlin's defiant annexation of Crimea.

The haunting warning from a nation whose friendship Russian President Vladimir Putin had nurtured over his 14 years in power came amid Western efforts to shore up backing for the besieged interim leaders in Kiev who toppled a Kremlin-backed regime last month.