The blockade ended when the Russian Navy seized the last ship under the Ukrainian flag in Crimea, the minesweeper Cherkasy.

Joint exercises between NATO and Ukraine, "Operation Sea Breeze", took place at Donuzlav, which drew disapproval from Russia, as well as the pro-Russian forces of the peninsula.

[5] Also, in the Donuzlav area in the village Mirny is an abandoned naval air station, home of Be-12 flying boats and Ka-25 and Ka-27 helicopters, all of them designed for anti-submarine warfare.

[13] Until the end of the Crimean crisis, these formations provided control over strategic objects and local authorities, their protection and functioning, and blocked Ukrainian military units and headquarters.

[22] Over the question why Ukrainian ships were not withdrawn from Crimea at the end of February 2014, Tenyukh accused the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yuriy Ilyin, who, according to him did not issue an order.

[25] On March 3 information appeared on the blocking of the Southern Naval Base of Ukraine by military servicemen of the Russian Federation.

[26] The 200-meter-long exit from the Donuzlav bay was blocked by the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia, missile cruiser Moskva, supported by four other ships.

[29] On the morning of March 4 Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said that the personnel of the Ukrainian military units were ready to submit to the new government of Crimea and that commanders who refused to do his bidding would be prosecuted.

[34] In connection with the blockade of Ukrainian ships in Donuzlav, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly protested to the Russian Federation.

[37][38][39] Director of the Information Policy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyinis stated that the responsibility for damage to the marine environment and natural resources rested on the Russian side.

[42] Yuri Fedash, commander of the minesweeper Cherkasy, said that Crimean Tatars from the neighboring villages of Medvedev and Kirovske also provided assistance.

[43] Following a referendum on the Crimea status on March 16, the seamen requested a clear plan from the Ukrainian leadership for further action on the evacuation of servicemen and their families from Donuzlav.

[44][45] However, the acting president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, said that the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff issued orders to protect the ships.

[46] Volodymyr Komoedov, deputy of the State Duma of Russia and former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, said that Ukrainian vessels that were in the Crimea would become Russian after the referendum.

[58] On March 22, the corvette Vinnitsa, raised the St. Andrew flag, and the commander Sergei Zagolnikov eventually defected to Russia.

[61] On March 23, the minesweeper Henichesk attempted to exit Donuzlav, however, it was intercepted by a tug of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia.

[43] Also on March 24 President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchinov said that the Ministry of Defense was given an order to withdraw military units from the Crimea.

[73][77] The next day the crew went to the coast and traveled to the mainland Ukraine, the last to left the ship was commander Yuri Fedash, after which the Ukrainian flag was removed from the minesweeper.

[58] Following the capture of Ukrainian ships, Alexander Turchinov instructed the Defense Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Koval that "no warships should remain in captivity".

[88] In April 2014, the members of the rock band Lyapis Trubetskoy invited the crewmembers of the Konstantin Olshansky to their concert in Odesa and called the Ukrainian sailors in Donuzlav "heroes".

[88] On April 6, 2014, before the match between Dynamo Kyiv and Kharkiv Metalist within the framework of the Ukrainian Championship, seamen from Kirovograd were invited to the stadium Olimpiysky, where they were received as heroes.