Crimea might be on the brink of war, with troops from neighbouring Russia tightening their grip on the region, but amidst the tension people are still trying to snap the ultimate selfie.
Photos of children, puppies, and elderly people posing with Russian soldiers have gone viral on Twitter and Instagram, some with the words "I'm not shy" as Ukrainians show their courage in the face of military power.
Amongst the political strife and the war rhetoric, the everyday life of Ukrainians had taken a back seat, so the selfies with soldiers help to provide a humbling reminder that behind the larger geopolitical struggles are real people, some of whom clearly bear little animosity to the invaders.
The pictures are just the latest to emerge in what has become a world-wide craze. A-list guests in the first two rows of last nights Oscars piled in to one big selfie which, within two hours, had become the most re-tweeted image of all time.
El tema de los militares dejándose hacer fotos se extiende raramente pic.twitter.com/jFkUdttDbq
— Javier Pascual (@javierpascual) March 1, 2014Can I take a photo with you? pic.twitter.com/qIV1dX9JRP
— Javier Pascual (@javierpascual) March 1, 2014#Crimea: Elderly woman arrested by #Russia|n troopers asks stranger to take a "selfie" before taken into custody pic.twitter.com/evpKnkChuy
— Syricide (@Syricide) March 2, 2014