A Ukrainian soldier has been killed at an army base in Crimea after an assault by unknown attackers.

Unconfirmed reports claimed the serviceman, a cartographer, was shot dead by a sniper.

It is the first such death on the peninsula since pro-Russian forces took control of Crimea in February.

A second Ukrainian serviceman, a captain was also wounded at the Simferopol base.

“Some men just rushed in, broke the windows, made everyone lie on the floor,” said one eyewitness.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister immediately denounced the attack as a ‘war crime’.

In a worrying sign of escalating tensions on the peninsula, Kyiv has in response, according to Reuters news agency, reportedly authorised Ukrainian military personnel to use weapons to defend their lives.