Ukraine sacks Navy chief

KIEV - Ukraine's acting Defense Minister Igor Tenyukh on Sunday dismissed Navy Commander Denis Berezovsky, who reportedly swore allegiance to pro-Russian Crimean authorities earlier in the day.

"The vacancy has been fulfilled by Rear Admiral Sergey Hayduk," the Ukrainian defense ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

Information from Ukraine's Security Council said that the country's prosecutor's office launched a treason case against Denis Berezovsky, who was appointed as Ukraine's Navy chief a day earlier by Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov, for surrendering his headquarters in Sevastopol, a port in Crimea.

Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov said Berezovsky would lead the Crimean Navy.

"The Rear Admiral (Berezovsky) has just taken the oath of allegiance to the people of the Crimea," the Interfax news agency quoted the Crimean authorities as saying.

Aksyonov also ordered the navy servicemen in Sevastopol to " disregard the decisions, orders and instructions coming from Ukraine's self-proclaimed agencies and officials."

Crimea, a Ukrainian autonomous republic holding Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has become the epicenter of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine since President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted by Ukrainian parliament on February 22.

Local legislature of Crimea previously announced to hold a referendum on May 25 over the future status of the territory, which may coincide with the date set for early presidential elections in Ukraine. The referendum was later rescheduled to March 30.  

Ukraine's current authorities were at odds with Russia over the latter's potential military actions in Crimea.