The unit from Crimea was put together in Crimea.....It was formed by volunteers, half or two-thirds of them are citizens of Ukraine. The unit includes people from western and central Ukraine. It also includes local fighters from the region itself.....it was by Sloviansk s invitation the units went to Sloviansk.
Most of the men in the command possess war experience, including former service in the Russian or Ukrainian militaries and tours in Chechnya, Central Asia, the former Yugoslavia and Iraq......
Their unit’s weapons came partly from police facilities they took over in Slovyansk. .... also stripped arms and vehicles from Ukrainian forces they repelled when the Kiev militants tried to enter the area earlier this month.... military hardware his unit gained included about 150 automatic weapons, a few grenade launchers and six infantry combat vehicles.
Russia so far hasn’t supplied them with a single machine gun or bullet...everything was ‘gifted’ by the Ukrainian military and police.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304788404579526160643349256
Geeze man, Putin even admitted he had troops in Crimea. It’s not some secret anymore.
From the article: MOSCOW — A confident President Vladimir Putin on Thursday used his annual televised meeting with the nation to portray a powerful Russia — one that is dismissive of the West, had troops operating in Crimea even as it denied it and regards a large swath of southeastern Ukraine as historically part of its territory.....(more)
I agree that some of these separatists have arms they gained from former Ukrainian units that switched sides, dropped their gear and ran, etc, but to believe that Russian operatives and special ops aren’t heavily involved in stirring up and reinforcing “protests” is to be sticking your head in the sand. You can bet Russia had contingency plans for this very thing, just like most nations war game out and prepare for many scenarios.